A little more RAGNAR

Because it is just so much fun! 
Ragnar in large part becomes less about the running and  more about the craziness of the whole adventure, but run I did - and since this is supposed to be a blog about training and running - even if it is part of a nutty overnight relay - is training. 

My portion of the run started at 2:26pm on Friday - sun high in the sky - about 85 degrees and humid.  Not a bit of shade along the entire 5.25 mile course and no shortage of climbing.

Leg 8 for the team - Leg 1 for me....

I actually welcomed the headwind - as any breeze was better than none.  Thank goodness the van would pull ahead and sit up on the hills to wait for me with cold water and ice for my bottle and sports bra.  Anything to keep cool.  I was happy when this stretch was done, crawled into the airconditioned van, careful to sit on a towel so not to leave a big wet splotch on the seat.  My next leg would not start for another 10 hours - and I would be running in the cool of the night.  Something to look forward to. 
There isn't much opportunity for rest as you go along supporting the other runners.  It is stop and go along the way to make sure they have water etc and then hurry on up to the next exchange to get the next runner ready.  Things slow down a little when you get to a major exchange - where you hand off to the other vehicle.  While those 6 ladies run, you can grab something to eat, stretch out a bit or whatever time allows.  You do still have to move on to the next major exchange and get ready to start again.  The major exchanges are bustling with activity, teams pulling in and out, horns honking, noise everywhere - and the 5-6 hours before the other van comes and meets you to hand off go by incredibly fast.  You can grab a catnap here and there but that is about it.  At this time we were all wide awake too - it wasn't really time to sleep yet even though our day had started fairly early and we all had expended some energy running. We found a pasta feed at the exchange and sat down to eat some real food - tired of snacking on bananas and pretzels.  The food was good and timing was great - about 4 hours to my next run.   By the time I got really tired and would have liked to snooze, it was time for round 2. 

Leg 2 - 12:48am - somwhere in Wisconsin.  I really didn't look at the maps much.  I figured that when it was my turn I would get going and run until it was time to stop.  The prospect of running in the dark is not scary to me, having done it before and the course was well marked so chances of getting lost were slim.  We all did agree that we would carry a cell phone for the night run portion just in case.  My leg was to be around 9.25 miles.  During the safety briefing we had been advised that the van can't shadow us, meaning it is not allowed to drive alongside your runner to hand them stuff, but you can leap frog.  I figured that if they went about 3 miles and waited for me and then 3 miles again that would work. 
It was nice and cool when I started - upper 50s I guess.  Nice change from the afternoon heat.  I headed off into the night.  I have a great headlamp and had good visibility.  The one thing running with a headlamp does is restrict peripheral vision.  It almost appears as though you are wearing a diving mask.  Sort of a tunnel effect that feels mildly claustrophobic and takes some getting used to.  Also, while you can see a little ways ahead of you - that is all it is - a little ways.  You can't see far enough ahead to see if you will be going up or down hill or if a turn is coming up.  You have to be able to just react to what comes at you.  Including insects - who are madlly attracted to your headlamp.  You get relief from the occasional vehicle passing you - lighting up the area and giving you a glimpse of the road further ahead for at least a brief moment.  They also are a curse though - particularly on a stretch of gravel we had to run - the dust in the air each time a van passed you made it appear as though it was really foggy out.  I could see the dust particles flying in the beam of my lamp and wondered how much of that I was sucking into my lungs as I was chugging along.  I was glad to leave the gravel.  The van met me around mile 3 as promised and provided water and cheer.  I had asked them to stop at 3 as long as it wasn't a downhill :) I don't like stopping when gravity and momentum are in my favor - or keep going a bit if it was.  I asked them to meet me again a few more miles down the road.  This time the van was pretty quiet - understandably so - we had been up and moving for many hours now.  I grabbed my water and let them know that I would be ok to the finish now.  I watched the tail lights until they were swallowed up by the dark.  It started to rain - a nice mild summer rain - enough to help wash the air clean and knock the pesky insects attacking my headlamp out of the air.  I was really enjoying myself.  There was some climbing of course, but there also was a lot of nice downhill which left me with a huge grin on my face as I churned my legs and pounded the pavement.

With about a mile to go, I had a little run in with a drunk guy.  I was on a bike path by then, headed to River Falls, and this guy was standing right by the 1 Mile To Go marker, swearing at someone on his cell phone.  He had been difficult to see until I was right on him as he was wearing a grey tshirt and jeans - nothing reflective.  I passed him but continued to hear him talking right behind me.  Looking over my shoulder I realized that he was now running next to a Ragnar runner right behind me.  I let them pass and as they did I hear him swear as he hits the ditch next to the path and does a face plant.  He popped back up immediately and was back on the trail.  I ran past him not even slowing down as I yelled - are you ok?  Receiving no answer except an ongoing stream of profanity, I went on my way.  So that was the only wildlife I encountered during my late night/early morning run.  The drunk River Falls college student.  Go figure.
After I reached the exchange and our next runner was off, I told the volunteers about the guy up the road.  As I did, a guy on a bicycle came riding up, proceeded to crash into a garbage bin and fall over.  He, like the ditch surfer, got back up, sat on his bike and pedaled right through the exchange chute.  The fumes emanating from that one were enough to make a bunch of us loopie.
While the next few runners ran their legs I dozed on and off in the back of the van.  Then it was time to hand off to van 1 again. 

At our next exchange there were pancakes!  Coffee eluded us as it was always gone when we went looking and eventually I just gave up.  There were real bathrooms though and sinks to wash our hands.  Little things you know.  There were showers too but the lines got pretty long.  Standing behind the van, wiping down with baby wipes and brushing our teeth right there in the parking lot would have to do for now.  After we ate and cleaned up a bit we found a sunny spot on the grass and grabbed some zzzzs.  Again, it is more just stretching and resting the bones than actually sleeping.  I lost count of the car alarms going off.  There also was a guy playing bagpipes.  I thought - geez, I am not dead yet so quit the funeral procession music.  I wonder how many of us wanted to put a hole in the darn bag.  sigh. Eventually you get so tired you do zonk - but that is short lived.  Van 1 was coming in and we needed to get ready to go.

Final leg.  Somewhere around Oakdale. I rolled out my quads.  All of that delicious downhill pounding had left them sore and stiff.  I chucked back a handful of ibuprofen - something I never do when running but felt for once I needed to get me through, especially knowing that I would have some downhill stretches along the way.  On the schedule were 6 miles and then all I had left to do was cheer for the last 4 runners and then cross the finish line with my team.

About half of this run was through urban areas with lots of traffic and the corresponding intersection stops.  Kind of tough at this point as I really just wanted to keep moving and get it done.  It was getting warm again too and the aches and pains from the previous mileage and the lack of sleep definitely were catching up with me.  At some point then I entered a park - a trail away from traffic, along a creek and with abundant shade.  There were quite a few turns and sharp little downhills that just made my quads scream and my brain beg for an uphill section - insane, I know.  Before I knew it I was at the 1 Mile to Go marker and soon after I could hear the cheers for people coming into the exchange.  I pushed on and finished leg 3.  My work here was done.  All that was left now was to get the next 4 girls running and supported and then on to the finishline to meet our final runner.  The last leg was pretty short so we had to hustle to get there, get parked, and then get all of us to the finish area.  We met up with the girls from Van 1 and stood and waited for our final runner to come in.  As she came we fell in behind her and ran to and across the finishline as a team. 

In the end, no one cared about pace, finish time or place - it was all about the fun and experience.  A great way to run some miles and make new friends.

Back on line and back on track

Been away for a bit - partly because I was off line for a few days camping and then just buried and getting ready for Ragnar Great River Relay 2011.

Camping:  Sturgis SD.  Bike Rally.  Lots of fun - great weather - although we threaded the needle between a couple of good storms while out riding one afternoon - lots of interesting bikes, people and tattoos.  Tom commented on the fact that he had talked to more people from other countries than our own while we were there.  We met people from South Africa, Australia, Great Britain, Switzerland and of course, our neighbors to the north also join in the fun in large numbers.  For the most part the the crowd consists of 50 somethings, shopping for tshirts for their grand kids.  Not saying that the rowdy factor of the bike rally has been replaced with the geriatric group - it is all out there - and that is what makes it colorful and fun and enjoyable no matter who you are.  We walked around Sturgis, took in some of the bands at the larger saloons - The Knuckle and Easy Riders and rode our bike around the Black Hills.  One guy we heard play was particularly fun. Blind Joe.  He really is blind, a talented musician, funny and wouldn't you know it - from Moorhead!  Stayed in a campground outside of Sturgis, so relatively quiet.  I got up early every other morning and went for a run.  That put me in the weirdo category in Sturgis!  :)  Lots of WTF looks from the hungover crowd.

I enjoyed my early morning runs - low humidity, slight inclines, wide open spaces - well - the area anyway. The road was 65mph with a 6" shoulder - or so it felt.  One morning I had to dodge 2 beer trucks.

Other than my runs out of the campground and up and down the highway - there was little exercise.
On the nutrition front - well, there were eggs and pancakes at the campground "eatery" and then whatever we felt like later in the day.  One has to have fun too.  I don't think I did any permanent damage.

Back at home, work was busy so not much time for training either, with Ragnar looming large.  When I had signed up to run, I was getting back in shape, working out pretty well, coming off a spring of decent endurance runs.  Feeling good I signed up for one of the longer and difficult legs.  Piece of cake - right?  But then my Achilles acted up again and I was starting over.  My training ultimately then consisted of no more than 5 or 6 miles - no hills - other than the small inclines in my neighborhood, as that makes the Achilles issue worse, and the one long outing I posted about on the Douglas trail.  Never one to miss out on a fun time though, there was no way I wasn't going. 

Glad I did.  Out of 12 team members, I knew 2, neither of them were in my vehicle.  No concerns there - I have never met a stranger in my life.  In my van, Van 2,  were Robyn, Jenn, Kari, Angie and Sue. Robyn was our awesome captain, organizer, keeper straighter of where to be and what to do.  She also drove the van most of the time, meaning she had least rest of all of us.  Robyn is a steady runner, hitting her predicted pace pretty much 100% of the time - no matter the conditions.  She has a great smile, and an awesome sense of humor.  Sue is a workhouse, pushing herself hard for her team.  A solid runner, fun to be around and taking on the team mom spot, always having just what you need in her bag somehow.  Kari - a late entry - joining us to fill in for my friend Suzanne who had to drop due to injuries.  Hadn't run much this past year due to a new baby in the house.  Wouldn't have known it if she hadn't said it.  She is in great shape and dealt with the high mileage without a problem.  She has a ready smile and quick sense of humor.  Jenn is bright and shiny - open honest smile and ready laugh.  She had a tough first run leg with so much heat and apparently starting out dehydrated and never catching up. She wound up with the shivers and feeling frustrated but bounced back during her night run - setting such a blistering pace we lost track of her and missed her at the exchange.  She outran the van :).  It took me a little while to get a sense for Angie - our last runner.  She was  more quiet than the rest of us most of the time but no less fun to be around.  She is a tiny little thing but don't let that fool you.  She ran her first leg strong and fast.  Partway into her second leg she wound up with knee pain. She insisted on finishing her leg, chugging her way uphill for about a mile to the exchange.  When time came for her final leg which would take the entire team to the finishline she had iced and taped her knees, chucked back some advil  and resolved to do battle.  We all waited anxiously near the finish - and then she came in, holding her head high while holding back tears - taking us in to the finish.  Barely able to walk afterward, she still wanted to hang around and celebrate with a beer!  What a woman.  

I am lucky to have landed on such a great team and look forward to getting know these ladies better - running or having beers or both!



Today, I am sore - not just the legs but pretty much all over, although the worst aches are in the quads.  No surprise there.  The Achilles is mildly tender but not enough to cause concern.  Today there won't be any exercise other than trips to and from the laundry room and pushing the vacuum around the house.

Tomorrow is a new day.  I ordered a second rear wheel for my road bike - an inexpensive wheel that I can have my training tire on, so that when I want to take my bike outside I can just do a quick wheel change instead of having to change tires - trainer tires are stiff and unfun to put on the rims.  I got my bike at my favorite place for all things cycling - Rochester Cycling & Fitness.  They looked up my bike, found me a wheel and a cassette that matches the one on my bike.  They also took care of removing the trainer tire from my regular wheel, putting it on the new wheel and putting my road tire back on.  All for well under $200.  As always I received fast, expert and most of all friendly service.

It feels good to be back on track and back on line.  

Busy days

I did my last IM on what I called a shoestring training budget, meaning that I had to do my training around work.  That meant way early in the am, or way late at night.  I was sensitive not to let training interfere with work then, and still am.  We have jobs we get paid for - so during working hours, that is where our focus should be.  Some days that doesn't leave much time for else.

Yesterday was hot and sweaty.  My work day started early, so a run was out of the question.  I decided to save it for evening.  Well, even close to sunset, the temperature had not budged much. It was humid. Sauna runnign again.

I ran for 30 minutes - a good mix of flat and hills  Achilles is holding up well.

Today I got up early and joined my friend Xeno for a row.  That is - I watched him explain proper technique while I did an easy row.  Rowing is just a fabulous exercise.  It gently stretches and works you out all at the same time.

After my row, I got on my bike and rode for 30 minutes.  Always feels harder indoors.

Weight is down a pound - but weighing daily shows ups and downs - will see what the week shows, in both weight and comp.

Tomorrow will be a rest day.  I have a monster day at work, setting up for Chamber Golf where we are sponsoring a hole, calling into a management meeting at 7:30, then working at the hole all day, followed by a customer event at the Honkers game.  Whew.   There won't be time or energy for workouts. 

Time to hit the hay - long day ahead.

Getting out and Moving

I had planned on running the Rochester Womens Race this year.  I haven't done it in a while and it is such a fun event.  I recently found some really great deals on Skirtsport Running/Cycling dresses, and this would have been the perfect opportunity to debut one of them.

The dresses are super cute - they do have a built in shelf bra, complete with a little "gu" pocket in the front, and you can chose whatever you want to wear for bottoms - compression shorts, bike shorts - very comfy.  I do wear a running bra in addition to the built in - I just like a little more support.

I found 3 at Rochester Cycling & Fitness - the best shop in town for all of your Cycling and Triathlon needs.  There was a huge sale on Skirtsports stuff and I lucked out.  2 of them are the "Wondergirl".  I have a teal and black and this one:

 

The 3rd is a bright turquoise, has some seaming the other 2 don't have and does not have the little pocket in front.  Anyway, I wore them riding my bike and all about town and out to dinner while on vacation.  They are comfortable and stylish.  

Still having a little trouble with the Achilles, I thought that racing - even if I try to just go easy - was likely to be detrimental to what little healing I felt was happening.  I talked to my friend Betsy Friday evening and we decided to head for Douglas and the bike trail Saturday morning for a long slow distance workout instead.  

Achilles was a little tight when we started.  I had taped it with Kinesio tape just to give a little extra support.  We walked briskly for about 5 minutes, then went into a run walk pattern - 3 on 2 off.  That worked well and we made good progress.  We covered 3 miles from the trail head to CR3 where Betsy's husband Ran met us with water and Gatorade.  It was getting really hot even though it was only 8am or so.  We headed out for 2 more miles, then turned around and headed back to CR3.  Ran was there again with water and Gatorade and - this was a first for me - birthday cake!  He had brought a small piece of birthday cake - leftover from a party Friday night.  I didn't even hesitate for a moment.  Carbs are your friend when you are out pounding the pavement and when they come in the form of yellow cake and chocolate frosting - bonus!  We got going again and headed back on the trail - which by now were like a sauna.  Hot, not a breeze and oh so humid.  

3 more miles back to the trail head.  10 Miles done.  Achilles actually held up really well.  I think switching back to shoes and focusing on keeping my feet right under my body and just landing naturally mid to forefoot was the right choice.  This puts less strain on the calf and Achilles.  I still strongly believe that running barefoot, or in the 5 Fingers etc, is the way to go - but have learned that it is a very slow transition.  You have to build up some strength in the calf as well as your feet.  I will try again, but a quarter mile at a time - not going like a madwoman for 3 miles right off the bat.

We walked for a bit to cool down (relatively speaking), grabbed water from our cars and sat on the curb for a few minutes.  

This is what the end of a long sweaty run looks like....

 

Rear end that is!

I was pretty punky after I got home.  I felt like I wanted to nap.  Very unlike me.  I finally drank some cold water with Nuun electrolyte tabs - perked right up.

This morning Tom and I decided to take the bikes out.  Much preferred to the indoor training ride I had planned for myself.  We decided on Douglas Trail - starting in Rochester and heading out to Pine Island.  Tom rides a sporty Trek 7.3FX.    I ride a Bianchi Boardwalk.  I think it is a 1990 something - original Bianchi color.  It is a really nice bike.  My Father in Law used to ride it.  When Tom got his Trek last year, Dad asked me if I needed a bike.  I told him that I had a great road bike but not a bike that I could ride on dirt or gravel real well - so he gave me the Bianchi, which had been sitting for many many years.  I took it to Rochester Cycling & Fitness for a once over and new tires - the old ones looked brittle to me.  It is a hybrid like the Trek - so a much more upright bike than my road bike.  I do feel that I have to work pretty hard to squeeze 13 mph out of it and its fatter tires - but that is ok.  It gives me the opportunity to ride with my husband - no matter if we stay on paved or head out on dirt and gravel.  The road bike is on my trainer right now - but I have ordered a second rear wheel for it so that I can have a rear wheel for outside riding (the one that came with the bike) and one for just the trainer - with a trainer tire.  That will allow for a quick change of wheels to get my bike outside and /or back on the trainer.  Changing the tire is not an option - those trainer tires are a bear to get on and off the rims - I will gladly pay a professional to do that for me!

Kwik Trip and a snack.  While there a group of riders came in - for the same, a break and snack.  they were on road bikes and discussing whether they should ride back on the road or the trail.  I told them that the trail was fairly busy, runners, cyclists, some of them just tooling along at a slow pace - probably not what this bunch had in mind.  They opted for the road.  Tom and I decided to abandon the trail for a bit as well and took CR3 back from PI to Douglas.  This road offers a super wide shoulder - a nice safe ride.  It also has a little more contour than the trail.  We pedaled up the hills and bombed down the other side - pure bliss.  We ended up back on the trail just outside of Douglas where it crosses CR3 and finished our ride back to Rochester.  26 miles - just under 2 hours.  Not shabby what with all the stop signs and gravel roads along the way on the trail.  The road miles included bodacious 19 and 20 mph miles - yeehaw - gotta love the downhills!

The weekend by the numbers:
Weight is down 1lb.  Not a ton but something.
Run 10 miles - that was huge - my confidence needed that long run.
Bike 26 miles - good workout - not racing but solid work.
Achilles - pretty darn good even after the bike ride

This coming week will be a busy one and I will have to have patience and be flexible with my training.
I have a crazy week with travel, Chamber Golf (we sponsor a hole) and a customer appreciation event at the Honkers, day to day work, (who knows what that will bring), TCM 10 Mile training clinic on Thursday (I help coach) and getting ready for a trip out to the Black Hills - yep - Sturgis - where we will be camping for a few days.

Beats riding the recliner I guess.

Riding, Running and don't forget to Live, Love, Laugh

Keeping up a journal daily is almost as challenging as getting your workouts in every day.  Like all else in life, it takes discipline.  Something to work on.

Not having gotten my bike done in the morning Wednesday due to technical difficulty, I had to do my ride in the evening, after work.  Doesn't sound that hard, but after a long day of work and tired - dinner and relaxation tempting you - it can be a struggle.  I bucked up and got on my bike.  I pedaled 41 minutes and covered 12.10 miles - not too bad as it was a somewhat hilly course too.  I am not a fast cyclist ever, so any day that I can do 17 or 18 miles per hour is a good day.  I was chasing the silver man on my LCD panel.  He still beats me - but not for long.  I actually did 2 loops of the same course, the finish times mere seconds apart.  A good ride all in all.

Thursday was a rest day - had to be - my Achilles was once again aching and I had swelling too.  Best not to push it.

Thursday also was my Live Love Laugh day.  It was Ladies Pink Poker night.  Ladies Pink Poker is a fundraiser held in honor of Charlene Gerads who valiantly fought breast cancer for 17 years and was taken from this earth much much too soon.  Charlene loved Poker and taught other women to play.  The group would have Pink Poker nights - girls only, sisterhood, food, drink, fun, and laughter.  After Char's passing, her best friend Lisa started a Ladies Pink Poker tournament to raise money to kick cancer to the curb.  Hoping to get 25 ladies to show up to play she was much surprised to find 99 women looking to play, and most of all contribute to this great cause.  That was year one.  Year two - $8900 was raised.  This year - I figure at least 175 women showed up.  I was player 164 when I registered and the night was young.  There are 2 tournaments, experienced and novice - I am in the novice category, playing just once a year at this very event.  The tournament represents exactly what Char envisioned - sisterhood, fun, food, laughter - and charity.  It is the kind of event where you run into the same people that were there the year before and have now brought their friends.  We reconnect, reflect, get caught up.  There are hugs, and tears.  There are bandannas covering bald heads.  There are full heads of hair this year where bandannas had been the year before.  We mourn losses and celebrate victories - like my dear friend Betsy.  Betsy and I trained together for Betsy's first ever marathon in 2008.  She finished her first marathon in Spearfish, SD in August of that year.  In November as we were out for a short easy run on a cold Saturday morning she told me that she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  I thought my heart would stop.  Too close to home.  But just as she had run her marathon, she came through surgery,  fought through chemo and radiation, said good bye to her hair, and eventually recovered.  She pulled through like the fighter she is.  Today, she is cancer free and I am grateful to be able to run with her again.  Sitting at a table with her, laughing and playing poker to raise money that someday will help us stomp out this disease is priceless.

This was a great opportunity to connect up with friends and acquaintances and to make new friends.  I was happy to see Charlene's family.  They are warm and loving.  One of her nephews - Jessie Kiefer - excitedly told me that he was headed to Madison WI for IM Wisconsin - or IMOO as we like to call it.  I am excited for and proud of him.  He will do well no doubt.  His parents are excited and proud and will be there to cheer him on.  

Poker is fun - but it isn't about the game - well maybe for some it is - but for me it is the spirit of the whole thing.  It is sharing chips when the sister sitting next to you is running low and you have plenty.  It is high fiveing  the woman sitting next to you for just winning the last hand - never mind she is whomping you in the process.  It is laughing so hard your Chardonnay is coming out of your nose.  It is being part of something really great.

Live, Love and Laugh I say.

Despite a late night of living, laughing and let's face it indulging a little - I rolled out of bed at a decent hour and got out for a run.  Nothing huge, about 40 minutes.  It was very humid - foggy really, when I started.  I don't enjoy running in heat and humidity but darn it - there was work to be done.  I opted for Nike Free Runs instead of the Vibrams - thinking that maybe I was really trying to go too far too fast in them and with that irritating the Achilles further.  Ultimately - barefoot running - or running in the Vibrams as it were - should make that all better, but one has to ramp up slowly and I don't think I have taken enough time to transition - so back to minimalist shoes for the longer miles.  I could feel the area around the tendon being somewhat tender when I started but as I went along it felt ok.  Much better though - I felt good after I was done.  I am hopeful.  Trial and tribulations.  My route was the familiar loop around the neighborhood but not wanting to do the same 1 mile loop over and over, I headed out of the neighborhood, west on HWY 14 as far as College View Drive, back up the hill and toward home from there.

Weight is remaining static day to day.  I hope that week to week that will change.  For the most part I am doing great with nutrition, following the Paleo diet as closely as I can.  Sometimes - like during a poker tournament - I will find myself deviating from protocol - and for goodness sakes eat a brownie or some cheese and have a glass of wine.  I do know that the calorie count on that diet is low as the bulk of your food consists of greens and fruit so in time, the weight sure should come off.  I am trying not to be frustrated with short term results and set my sights on the longterm goal.

I finished my day by participating in a best ball golf tournament to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House.  Another fabulous non profit to support.  It was a beautiful day to be out chasing a little white ball over freshly mowed fairways.  While golf isn't something I will likely excel at - I enjoy the game - a challenge both physical and mentally - and yet another opportunity for side splitting laughter - the way I play anyway.

Tomorrow will be a long run and then bike again on Sunday as well as a row or strength training.  I wonder if Xemo misses me on my non rowing days.

Well - another long rambly post and time to turn in so I can get up and get going before it gets too darn hot to run.

Best laid plans and what not

Yesterday I was pretty squeezed for time but got a 30 minute run in before work.  I opted for outside vs the treadmill and was happy to complete the run pain free in spite of a few hills.  I ran in my Vibram 5 Fingers - really trying to transition to barefoot running.

This morning was full of technical difficulty so the bike will have to wait until after work.  I did a rowing workout that focuses on upper body - kind of a strange way to use the erg, and not many meters are accumulated that way - or the meters that are accumulated are at a slow pace - either way, it bothers my competitive alter ego to post workouts that will look like I was hardly moving - when in fact my bicep, tricep, lats - you name it got worked pretty hard.  I again opted for a workout with Xeno.  Xeno can be found at http://www.xenorowingcoach.com/  and http://www.indoor-rowing.blogspot.com/ .  I own some of his workout DVDs.  This morning he was counting strokes in what he claimed to be German because "people like the way it sounds" - well, he is Swiss - to my German ears he sounded plain funny :). 

When it was time to bike, I started my Computrainer Program, picked a course, hopped on and started pedaling but nothing happened.  Somehow the link between the pc and the trainer was not working.  I dinked around with it and got it fixed eventually but by that time it was time to call it quits so I would get to work on time.  Bummer.  I like getting done in the morning. 

Ordered an Omron Bodycomp Analyzer on line.  Should be at my house Friday.  I am all about numbers.  Good and bad.  I found it at Amazon and it was 40% off - making it affordable at about $68 and free shipping.  It will show weight, bodyfat %, BMI, visceral fat, resting metabolism, body age...probably more than I need or want to know - but knowledge is power and knowing what we need to change is a start.

In my last post I mentioned some of my training tools such as the erg and computrainer.  I thought I would elaborate a bit.

Erg - or Indoor Rowing Machine:  Mine is a Concept2 Model D with a PM3 Upgrade.  The Concept2 rowers are those long rowing machines with the wheel up front and handle on a chain.  You can generally find them in larger health clubs and YMCAs.  They are the rowing machine of choice for Olympic Rowers, simulating rowing on water most closely.  Approach with caution.  Make sure you learn proper technique.  You can go to the Concept2 website - http://www.concept2.com/ - to find information on how to.  There are also videos on Youtube.  Proper technique is critical.  I have seen people on the rowers in the gym and rarely do I see someone using them correctly.  They are an awesome training tool when you do.  I think a common misconception is that rowing is upper body work - not so.  60% of the work is done by the legs - the leg drive, the rest of the work is done by upper body, back, arms and yes, core!  One of the most common mistakes I see people make is to set the damper very high (increases resistance) - for an aerobic workout it should be set low at 2 or 3 (you might notice that is the orange area on the machines in the gym).  You will be surprised how hard of a workout you will get rowing.  I have pushed my heart rate right to the red zone with 500m speed intervals and have watched athletes puke after a 2K race.  2K is the common race distance for indoor rowing races - yep, there are races - one of them right here in Rochester.  I participated a few years ago.  The race took about 8 minutes - but the workout was extreme - probably kind of like running up that 26 stories in the Stair Climb - except about twice as long!  A 20 or 30 minute row will give you an excellent cardio and strength workout all in one.  It is great cross training.  The Concept2 website is full of great information, has a very active on line community complete with log where you can post your meters and times and measure yourself against other athletes.  There are contests etc too. 

Computrainer:  This is my indoor bike trainer.  It is sold by Racermate - http://www.racermateinc.com/ . It looks like most indoor bike trainers, you put your rear wheel up on it and use a block or ring for the front but it also connects to a pc.  There are 2 programs, coaching software and Computrainer 3D.  The coaching software is pretty cool - you can do spin scans - you will see if you are pedaling truly in complete circles vs mashing up and down on the pedals (much more efficient).  You also get feedback about power etc.  The 3D is fun and a great workout.  You can race on many included courses, purchase additional or upload your own.  When you ride a course you have a visual - can be country side, city scape etc, and you can have another racer for you to pedal against or ride solo.  You also see the elevation profile along with a great number of stats on your cycling.  My screen is too small to really see much of that but that is ok - you can save a report at the end and look at it later.  As you climb the hills on the course, pressure is applied to your rear tire, acting like a break, forcing you to pedal harder and shift, just as you would on real hills.  You don't get to coast the down hills - if you stop pedaling the system will assume you have stopped once the tire stops spinning - but after a tough climb the easy spinning on the downhill feels great and let's face it you don't ever really coast outside either, you take advantage of gravity some but you will pedal to continue to pick up speed.  You can set drag factors to simulate wind resistance etc.  It gives you a pretty close to "real outdoor" ride.  Many of the included courses are Ironman courses.  Bonus!  There also is a Interactive Real Course option - it comes with a DVD of the course you are riding - so not the "cartoon" like landscape of the 3D courses.  I bought IM Coeur D'Alene a long time ago - now I can put it to use.  For now I am sticking to the shorter 3D courses.  Plenty tough.



Of course, with training - especially heavy loads - there usually are injuries.  While I hope to remain injury free, I am taking some preventive care.  I have two awesome helpers with that.  One, is Junge Chiropractic.  I met Dr Scott and Dr Anna at the Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours Extra.  They had a booth set up and offered free scans, complete with cool colorful charts, and intoductory pricing on first visit and adjustments.  I liked them both right off the bat.  They are energetic, fun and just plain nice.  Dr Scott takes care of me, my spine, hips and yes, feet and ankles too!  I had a chiropractor a long time ago who would work on my back and neck but inspite of the fact that he knew that I ran long distances he never discussed or touched my legs or feet.  Dr Scott understands my needs as an athlete as well as just the every day pains and aches caused by work stress or sitting at a pc or in a car for long periods of time.  www.jungefamilychiropractic.com  He has a great sense of humor - which keeps my visits interesting and fun.  He also is helping me with my supplements, vitamins, etc.  I am taking a variety of supplements from Standard Process - a Wisconsin based Whole Food Supplement Provider.  I am on day one with those, so don't have anything to report yet.  I do understand that they are a quality product.  They are only sold through Healthcare Professionals and your regimen is strictly tailored to you and your specific needs. 

When I re-injured my Achilles a few weeks ago, I knew it was time to work on the cause of this pesky injury - a tight knot in my calf muscle that had been there since Waseca Triathlon 2 years ago.  I simply had not been able to massage or roll that bugger out on my own.  In pain I asked my favorite Chiropractor if he knew someone who would be able to do a serious deep tissue massage to get rid of the lump once and for all and he referred me to Balance Massage and Bodywork in Byron.  www.tinyurl.com/balance-massage
I called and got in quickly.  I met Erin Dietz, one of the owner/CMTs and liked her right away.  She listened and then went to work.  Boy did she ever.  I felt sorry sometimes, that darn knot insisting on popping out from under her fingers, but she kept at it and lo and behold - after 2 visits, I feel much better.  Knot is gone and Achilles is on the mend.  Erin - like Junge Chiropractic - will be a regular part of my year of training which will undoubtedly leave me with kinks and knots galore.

Well, this got to be a really long post but I also learned how to add links to favorite sites and how to add pictures etc.  I'll get this blog fancied up in no time!

T-335 - I think

11 months to go. Day one of training done.
This won't sound like much - but as I said at the beginning - starting from scratch.
I did run about 4 very easy miles yesterday - still concerned about re-injuring that achilles. I taped up with Kinesio Tape - or KTape - great stuff with good information on how to apply. It really works and let's face it - it comes in fun colors.

Rolled out of bed early this morning - fighting the urge to roll over instead. I feel that it is part of the discipline you have to develop - up early, getting that headstart on the day. It is a well documented fact that people who get up and work out in the morning are more likely to stick with it. There are days when I have to work out at the end of the day and that is ok too - but nothing is quite like getting up, getting out and getting it done.

This morning's workout consisted of a rowing session with Xeno Mueller. Those of you who erg will know what I am talking about. Xeno Mueller is a Swiss rower and Olympic Gold Medalist. He coaches and produces training videos for indoor rowing - or the erg. I rowed until my shirt was as sweaty as his - a typical Xeno prediction. The indoor rower is probably the single most effective all over body workout. You can get serious cardio while getting a strength and core workout - all at the same time. As a matter of fact, when I first transitioned from walking to running, whenever running felt hard, I would revert to walking. It wasn't until I decided to participate in an indoor rowing race that I realized that you can push way past your perceived limits and not actually die. 2000 meters all out. The toughest 8 minutes I have ever spent working out. Highly recommend. Just be sure to get checked by your physician before you try :).

I spent 25 minutes on the erg - plenty for a first time/come back row. Immediately following the row, I hopped on my bike and pedaled for about 30 minutes at a 17mph average with 26mph high. Warm up and then actual work out. I am a spoiled brat - I do have a Computrainer - this is a trainer that turns your bike into a stationary bike - but wait - there's more! The trainer is connected to my pc and I can ride a variety of preloaded courses or upload my own from rides around the area - from my Garmin. Yes, I am gadget girl. The trainer simulates actual terrain in that it applies a brake to the rearwheel when there are inclines and releases the pressure for flats and downhills. Now, there still is never any coasting - so no true downhill but after climbing hard, the release feels like you are coasting. You do have to pedal continuously in order to rack up the miles and cover the distance. On screen information is awesome, plus I can ride against a "ghost rider" or even load up a "Real 3D" course - for example - IM Coeur D'Alene Bike Course, complete with video of the actual course and simulation of all that road can throw at you. All I need now are some kick butt tunes and I am set.

So, long story short - I did what I had planned, I got up early (discipline) and erged (aka the swim) and biked - if even just for a short stretch. Building the foundation and not wrecking what finally is healed.

Nutrition today was good - I did have a fruit smoothie - made at home with pineapple, mango and greek yogurt - not quite paleo but seriously delicious and nutritious. I packed a couple of peaches and my Chia Fresca - a mix of fresh squeezed lime juice, water and chia seeds. If I was running I would add honey, or maple syrup for carbs and sweetness but since I was headed for the office and a drive in my desk chair, splenda seemed more appropriate. Lunch was a salad of greens, chicken breast and roasted veggies with balsamic vinaigrette - courtesy of Trader Joe's. I snacked on macademia nuts. Dinner was another salad. Greens, chicken, cranberries and italian dressing. A glass of red wine to top it off. Yes, I know, wine not exactly paleo either but the book says that there isn't anything wrong with it and I suspect my sturdy paleo ancestor probably came upon some fermenting fruit and not only consumed but likely enjoyed it.

I was pleased when I stepped on the scale this morning that I had not gained any weight while on vacation. Always a bonus not to have to start over from where you have already been.

So, all in all a good start to my day and the next 334 days.

Working out in the morning - I don't care if that means you get up and walk, run, bike, jog, walk your dog....whatever - sets you up for the day ahead. It gives you energy and confidence and let's you handle life in a different way.

Sticking to my plan - tomorrow will be a run and a kettle bell workout. Time to hit the hay so that I can roll out of bed - not over.

Slug to IM

Well, I am an Ironman - having finished successfully at IM Louisville in August of 2009. What a great year that was for me - physically and mentally. I was in the best shape of my life, celebrating my 50th birthday by running multiple marathons - one of them on my birthday proper - several Ultras and competing in a variety of longer course Tris. I was fit and happy. That was August 2009.
Within 60 days of that event my workplace underwent major changes that required time and focus that would not allow for quality or quantity of any kind of training.
I continued to run off and on, mostly short stuff but abandoned swimming and biking totally. I developed an achilles injury that would go on for many months and culminate in my being stuck in a big boot for 2 months - and having to take off from all weightbearing exercise. I also found myself spending many hours in my car with the changed job responsibilities, staying in hotels and eating out. Needless to say - I packed on 20lbs over the last 2 years - and even though I have returned to running and completed a half marathon, two 50K trail runs and a marathon this past spring, I struggle carrying around the extra pounds.
I also managed to re-injure my achilles - a result of too much too soon transitioning to forefoot running which puts a greater amount of strain on the calf - an already tight calf muscle yanking on the tendon - making it very angry. A few more weeks of not running and little else. Amidst all of that I decided to sign up for IM CDA - June 24, 2012. Nothing like putting a goal and date and not to mention plunking down your hard earned cash - to regain focus that had gone by the wayside. So here I am - 11 months away from my event - and training starts tomorrow :) seriously.

A Plan

Well, at least the beginnings of one. Two things to start with - diet and base work outs.

Diet: I am going to follow the Paleo Diet for a while at least. My husband went on it months ago - prescribed by his physician to help cure a yeast imbalance in his body. He dropped 20 lbs and lowered his cholesterol even though he stopped taking his meds which were causing severe side effects. I am hoping for a jump start on weight loss and the diet is easy to follow - especially in the summer when grilling comes natural and wonderful fruit and fresh veggies are available in abundance. The basics are - lean meats, fish, veggies, greens, fruits and nuts. Occasional eggs. No sugar, no starch - no grains - no dairy. There is a modified version of this diet - tailored to endurance athletes - it adjusts for the need of sugar during and after exercise.
Should make trips to the grocery store fast too - produce and meat counter :-) !
My post workout indulgence will be Greek Yogurt - not on the paleo list for obvious reasons - but on my list and hardly a bad food.

Base Work Outs: Yes, I am starting from scratch. I have to build up my running slowly - lest that darn Achilles bites me again. I also am not ready to join the Y or Club again - so swimming will wait for a few months yet. Cycling - outdoors will largely consist of outings with my husband on local trails - riding a hybrid bike. Indoors, I have my road bike on a trainer - so time will be spent there for focused workouts. I do need to do core work - and build some lean muscle so the next few weeks will be 15-30 minutes on the Erg (erging is a great substitute for swimming) 5 days a week, followed by 30-60 minutes of cycling on the trainer or running plus a 20 minute session of Kettle Bell (I have Kettleworx on DVD) at least 3 days a week. Probably a few push ups and planks to work that core too. This should achieve the goals I have for the next couple of months.

Key will be being realistic and flexible with the schedule - I travel pretty regularly so have to adjust my workouts to what is available. Not to say that I can't pack a kettle bell and my dvd - or better yet, rip the dvd and store the workout on my tablet. The out of town mornings then I skip the erg and go for a run - indoors our out - whatever works and do my strength and core workout. When at home, I have access to all of my tools and no excuses - the workouts will be posted here along with with dietary successes and/or failures - whatever it turns out to be.
I'll spare the boring details but will post when something really works.

So - training starts tomorrow but preparation starts today. I am going to dust off the erg and bike and get things ready for an easy - hello, I am back - kind of workout. For sure there are a few easy running miles on the schedule today.