The last workout, well...not really....

This morning was our last workout before the half Ironman on Saturday. I always like the last workout before an event. It feels like the moment before the moment. Its a time to reflect upon all the workouts that lead up to it. This time, it was a time to reflect upon where we go from here.

It is still tough to wrap my mind around the idea that this half ironman on Saturday is just a step on the road to the full Ironman. Last year, the half was our final destination. This year, it is just part of the training. Just like all those marathons have been training runs, this will be a training day!

We swam this morning for 30 minutes. It was a good one. I am ready for two days off, that is for sure. We'll take tomorrow as a rest day, Friday will be our travel day and Saturday is THE day.

The weather is shaping up to be nice and sunny, that will be a change!!

I feel ready for the distance. We've swam the distance in open water three times in the last two weeks. We've bike more than the distance probably 4 or 5 times and we've run the distance about a thousand times! Two weeks ago, we had a long workout that was pretty close to the half iron distance. Its not as intimidating as before, but honestly, for me, every workout is intimidating.

I will spend some time in the next day or so doing some visualization, thinking about how I want Saturday to go, who I want to be that day. The thing I love most about these events is that it gives me the chance to really see what I am made of. I know its going to be great. I just know it.

Of course, our road to Ironman teammate, Doug, will be there too. Having Trevor and Doug out there with me makes the day much better. Its going to be so much FUN!

8 down, 10 to go...

This week was back to a higher volume. We really did a lot of swimming this week - all open water. As I mentioned in previous posts, I get so anxious! These swims were good and I feel ready for our Half Ironman next weekend.

It is strange that the upcoming Half Ironman is our first triathlon of the season and part of training for Ironman Cananda. Last year, it was our big event for the year and we trained all summer long for it.

I have been looking back on my posts and my notes from last year's training and I noticed a common theme - I was ALWAYS tired. Exhausted. I think that had more to do with my mental state than anything else. I was working at the paper at the time and I was getting up at 4 am to get my training done. Then I would come home and do a second workout. Just thinking about that makes me tired. I remember days when I would lay my head on my desk at work because I couldn't hold it up any longer.

This year, we started with a much higher base of fitness and we have really pushed our training to the next level. So while I do feel tired, I don't feel completely exhausted every single minute of every single day. Progress...right?

Here's how the week went...

Sunday: 1.3 mile (45 minute) swim, 52 mile bike (3 hours 40 minutes), 6.5 (one hour and 10 minutes) mile run.
Monday: Spin for 60 minutes!
Tuesday: 45 min upper body weights, 40 minute run
Wednesday: 60 min spin classes, 30 minute swim
Thursday: 45 minutes upper body weights, 40 minute run
Friday: 40 minute swim
Saturday: 45 minute swim

Total for the week:
Swim: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Bike: 5 hours and 40 minutes
Run: 2 hour and 30 minutes
Weights: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Total: 11 hours and 20 minutes

Steady as she goes

We are now into the part of our training that requires and allows for open water swimming. I have serious issues with the open water. I worked on this last year and continue to work on it this year. I can get in the pool and swim for an hour. Put me in the open water and I panic. Not so much panic, but certainly feelings of anxiety. If we are going to swim at night, I worry all day long about it, I try to get out of it, I hope for pouring rain and lightning! Mornings aren't so bad, mostly because I don't have time to worry so much.

This week we have swam two times and will swim a third tomorrow. Once I get in the water, I calm down and seem to settle into a groove. My mind will play tricks on me every so often and I feel a bit of the panic creep in. Then I remind myself that I am capable of swimming and I calm back down.

I was telling my friend Doug about my anxiety issues. He said that I always seem so steady and he has never detected the anxiety. Then he went on to say that my ability to push myself out of my comfort zone in so many parts of my life is something he admires about me. I think that may be one of the best compliments I have ever received.

I realized that I wanted to be the way Doug sees me. I wanted to be steady. Since he made those comments, I have been focusing on being steady and enjoying my ability to push myself out of my comfort zone.

Every time I get in the water, I am pushing myself WAY outside my comfort zone. I have to fight back all kinds of negative thoughts running through my head. Every time I get out of the water, I feel proud. I remember that two years ago, I couldn't even swim one length of the pool. Now, I go swim a mile in the open water as an "easy" training day.

This morning when I was swimming, I thought of Doug saying that I was steady and I smiled...underwater, to myself....and I just kept going. Thanks Doug. I needed that.

This is the life...

This past weekend we did not have our marathon group meeting on Sunday. Previously, we have been doing our group run, then going for our long bike ride. Our time is limited, so we have to squeeze it all in on one day. This was our first opportunity to do things in their correct order.

We headed to the pond with our friend Doug. We swam three laps, 1.3 miles. Then we got on our bikes and rode about 50 miles. Then we got off our bikes and ran about 6.5 miles. Whew. It felt good. The sun was out for the first time in months. It was just a good day.

I always have anxiety over the swim. I am totally capable of swimming, but I just get anxious. This day was no different. The water was calm and cool. The pond is gross, but I try not to think about it. It took a bit to settle in, but finally I did and the 45 minute swim went pretty fast. I need to work on mentally enjoying each stroke. I sometimes find myself wanting the swim to be over. I had success last year when I really just focused on the moment, on the now. This will come with practice. This was only our third time in the open water this season and I saw more than the Half Ironman distance, I felt really good about that.

Doug had run 21 miles the day before and was thinking we would ride about 25 miles. He should know better than that! We had 50 planned and Doug, being the trooper he is, came along for all of it. The first 25 was HILLY. It went fast. The next 25 we pretty much flat. There was a crazy headwind that seemed to blow both ways. It was so annoying. But I guess that is how you build strength?!

We got off the bike and ran for about 65 minutes. I felt really good. I could have kept going and was happy with my pace. We finished up and got back in the pond to cool our legs and feet. That felt so good.

This day really set my mind at ease. We have the half ironman at Pacific Crest on June 26th. We swam further than we will need to swim, we rode 8 miles less than we'll need to ride and we ran half the run. Distance that day will be 1.2 mile swim, 58 mile bike, 13.1 mile run. I feel more than ready for it. That is a good feeling.

I keep trying not to look past Pacific Crest. After that, we push full steam ahead to the Full Ironman on August 29th. That will be double all our distances and that seems overwhelming, so I don't want to focus on that right now. I want to focus on what I am ready for. Once we conquer that, I can turn my sights to Ironman. Our training is on track. We just need to continue on.

At one point during our ride, Trevor and Doug were up ahead of me. The sun was shining and I thought to myself "I am out here with my two favorite guys, doing things I never imagined I would be able to do....THIS is the life".

7 down, 11 to go

The week after the marathon, time for a little recovery! Last week was crazy, with over 16 hours of training, this week was really light, around 6 hours. Next week we will ramp things back up.

This week we completed our first open water swims of the season. We've been putting time in the pool over the past months, but we haven't been outdoors until now. The first swim of the season always has the ability to scare the crap out of me. I can swim non-stop for over an hour in the pool, but I get in the pond for the first time and I feel like I don't know how to swim at all. I panic. I feel anxious for the entire swim and never really fall into a groove. Then I worry about the events we have coming up and wonder how in the hell I am going to survive. That sets off a whole new panic...I'm in over my head, can I get out of it? its too soon, I haven't put in enough work. I think those things while I am in the water, then for the next two days until I get back into the water.

We swam on Tuesday - two laps around the pond. It was tough. I couldn't relax. The good thing is that last year, the first swim of the season was only one lap and I barely made it. I am much further along now. Which is good news because we have a Half Ironman Triathlon two weeks from tomorrow (gulp).

We swam again on Thursday and I'll be honest....I didn't want to. I was scared. I spent the entire day hoping that the rain wouldn't stop and we wouldn't have to go. It did stop and we did go. It was a GREAT swim. We did the same two laps and I fell into a comfortable rhythm after just a few strokes. That sure helped my confidence!

We'll swim four times next week and then at least once the following week. So I will get at least 5 more open water swims before our event. That will be enough to get the kinks worked out and be comfortable. I know I can do this. I did it last year and this year I am in much better condition and have spent much more time preparing.

Time to get excited and stop being scared.

Here's how the week went...

Sunday: rest, day after marathon - 90 minutes massage...ahhhhh.
Monday: Spin for 60 minutes - man my legs were sore!
Tuesday: 60 min upper body weights, 35 minute swim
Wednesday: 60 min spin classes - legs were feeling better
Thursday: 60 minutes upper body weights, 30 minute swim (same course, just faster!)
Friday: 10k run - ran and marked the course for the ARC in Motion event that I am race directing on Saturday
Saturday: rest

Total for the week:
Swim: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Bike: 2 hours
Run: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Weights: 2 hour
Total: 6 hours and 15 minutes

Here's the crazy thing...it was fun...all of it!

6 down, 12 to go

This has been a long week. We had two big workouts in the last 7 days. The longest bike ride ever and a marathon. The time we put in was over just 4 days, with three days of rest....

Here is how the week went.
Sunday: 1.75 hour run (10 miles), 68 miles bike ride (took 5.75 hours, lots of hills and some breaks), 10 minute transition run
Monday: rest
Tuesday: 40 min run, 60 min upper body weights
Wednesday: 1 hour and 10 minute swim and 60 min spin classes
Thursday: rest
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 26.2 mile run - 5 hours and 5 minutes

Total for the week:
Swim: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Bike: 6.75 hours
Run: 7 hours and 40 minutes
Weights: 1 hour
Total: 16 hours and 35 minutes

Here's the crazy thing...it was fun...all of it!

Newport Marathon Race Report

The Newport Marathon was on Saturday, June 5th. This would be our 3rd marathon in 8 weeks. Hard to believe, but true. The last two marathons we've done have been just me, Trevor and our Ironman friend, Doug. This time, many of our Vancouver Fit friends joined us. This is the event that we have all been training for all winter long together.

The rest of the group headed down early on Friday. Trevor and I got out of town around 4 and headed for the coast. We stopped at Outback Steakhouse and had our traditional pre-event dinner. Then we hit the road for the additional two hour drive. We arrived around 8:30. Our pals had already picked up our packets. We went through them, got all our gear layed out for the morning and hit the sack.

We got up around 4:45 on Saturday morning and were able to enjoy our smoothies and some coffee. We stayed in an amazing condo right on the bay. It was perfect. The weather looked like it was going to be awesome - sun was showing itself for the first time in weeks. We got our gear together and headed out to catch the bus to the start line.


Our condo was literally right across the street from the finish line and the start line was about a mile away. We took the bus to the start and met up with the others in our group. We milled around and before you know it, the gun went off - I wasn't really even aware it was start time! But off we went....



The first 4 miles of the route was through town, a little loop that took us along the ocean. So beautiful. I looked at the waves and thought to myself "this is the life". We are so fortunate to be here, doing this.

We had all our friends with us - Trish, Doug, Jo, Trish and Greg - Greg was our official photographer, he was injured and didn't run the marathon, Angel, Pete, Liz, Amanda, Dawn and Trevor. Robin was there cheering us on too! Quite a group. It felt good knowing they were out there.

Around mile 3, I saw Greg from the first of many times out on the route. Since he wasn't running, he decided to be the on-course support for all of us. He had his backpack full of things we might need and his camera. He took hundreds of pictures of us, cheered us on and was the highlight of the day. I would see him up ahead (in his Max Muscle shirt) and I would start to smile because I knew some sweaty love was coming my way. Every time he saw me he would yell out to me and then tell me how proud he was. I don't know if he can ever really know what that meant. I hope someday I can return that favor and give him the kind of support and emotional boost he gave me. I love that guy.

We went down a gravel hill, along a boardwalk and then past the finish line. Now we were on the long out and back. I settled into a pretty good pace and was feeling good. I was trying to stay in the middle of the road because I had some previous issues with my IT band. I didn't want to run with the slope of the road. This was a pretty good plan until the fast runners started coming back towards us.

About the time we started to cross paths with the runners on the "back" portion of the out and back, a slight wind picked up. I was unable to keep a straight line in the road because the "backers" all seemed to want to run down the middle of the road. For a bit I was feeling disoriented and not right. I just kept trying to focus on one foot in front of the other. I knew that once I hit the turn around near mile 16 or 17, I would have the middle of the road back.

Shortly before the turnaround, I started to see my friends. First Trevor, who looked awesome. Then, Trish and Doug. Then Pete and Amanda. Then Trish and Jo. I made the turn around and headed back. Headed home - sounded good to me. I then saw Angel and Liz and finally Dawn. All accounted for.

I forged my path down the middle of the road. I wasn't feel so disoriented anymore, now I was just feeling beat. It was getting hot out there. We haven't seen the sun in a while, so to have 70 degrees in sun might as well have been desert!

As usual, my quads and IT bands were doing all the work. My glutes and my hamstrings were enjoying a nice ride along the bay. They never engage. I need to work on that! After my legs had enough, the tension moved into my shoulders and then into my abs. I was trying to be a tight ball of forward movement.

I came up on Jo and she was walking, then running, having a tough time controling her heartrate. We stayed together for the rest of the run. I stayed at my one speed. She would pass me, then walk and I would pass her. We played leap frog from about 9 miles and that didn't bother me one bit. She is one of the strongest women I know, so I gather strength from having her near me.

Around mile 20, I said to her "6 more to go - just out to Wintler and back". This is our short Sunday run and it helps me in the last few miles to think of it in terms of something I have done a thousand times.

Soon we came upon Pete. Pete was having a tough time, but he just kept moving. That is what I love about these people...they all just keep moving.

I finally got to the point where I could see the Newport bridge and I knew we were close to the finish. I knew the next sign we saw would be mile 25, then it was just a bit until 26 and then we were done. They threw in a bit of a surprise, mile 25 to 26 was uphill. The route was almost all flat until then. Nice. We toughed it out uphill, then it was a fast downhilll to the finish.

I crossed the line just a bit behind Jo and I was SO relieved to be done. 5 hours and 4 minutes. 3 minutes faster than my last marathon - my best time ever! The idea that I could do three marathons in 8 weeks and have every one be faster than the one before really blew my mind!

This picture cracks me up - the look on my face says it all. That was right when I crossed the finish line. So glad to be done. Doesn't it look like it?

At the finish line I saw all my friends. It was fun to hear how everyone did. Some were happy, some were not, but we were all together and that made it okay.

Trevor, Doug and I are now official Marathon Maniacs. You become part of this group by doing 3 marathons in less than 90 days. Now we get the honor of paying to join the group and buying shirts that say "marathon maniac". Its a pretty cool thing, nothing I ever thought I would do and I owe that to Doug. He's the one that slipped in the Capitol City Marathon three weeks ago. Thanks Doug.

We ate, got massages and headed back to our rooms. Everyone was staying the night but Trevor and I needed to get home. We cleaned up and hit the road.

This was probably my favorite marathon so far. I loved seeing so many familiar faces. Like Trish says "smile when it feels good, smile when it hurts". Its easier to do that when you aren't alone. And really, with friends like these, we are never alone.

Good job everyone. I am proud of every single one of you and can't figure out how I got so lucky to know you all. Let's do it again soon!