My husband mentioned to me tonight that he's been waiting for me to post something on my blog. Although he knows everything that I do, think and feel, because I talk about everything, I think he actually likes reading my blog. So I know I have ONE follower.
Well, it's finally winter. We had our first light snow yesterday. And it's getting colder. Winter for me usually means getting a little lazy with the workouts, and typically, I put on about 5 pounds. The older I get (and maybe the wiser?), it doesn't really seem to matter anymore. So although I don't mind putting on the 5 pounds, as it ususally comes off in the spring, I do mind the fact that I'm not working out as much. It's Thursday already, and I've only run once this week. So I'm getting up at 5 tomorrow to run with my friend, Judy. I don't know if I'll get any workouts in this weekend, as I'm spending the weekend shopping with my sisters and mom in Amish country. But I'll try to get another run in.
So, let's see ... what have I been up to over the past month? My daughter, Caitlin, came home for Thanksgiving from Boulder, Colorado, where she's a senior majoring in art history & studio art. She was home for a week and cleaned the house for me and did a lot of cooking/baking. And we also ran the turkey trot in Cleveland together. My son, Kyle, also ran with us. We've done the race before, but we've never stuck together - so this year was a first, and it was very nice running and finishing together. Mark is still injured, but he came down with us and watched in the cold rain. Our time was about 41:30, although it took us over 9 min to do the first mile due to starting too far back and having to battle the crowd in the beginning. But I give Kyle and Caitlin a lot of credit - I'm sure a lot of 22/24 year olds home on break would not have gotten up early on Thanksgiving morning to run with their mom in the 40 degree rainy weather. So I am very thankful to have two wonderful and supportive children! And I am also thankful for my wonderful husband, who is always there supporting me in whatever I choose to do. And I'm thankful for my health and the fact that I was able to run the 5 mile race and feel great while doing it. I need to step back and remind myself that two years ago, I was recovering from my first of three surgeries and unable to run. I am truly blessed this holiday season.
A friend of mine, Barb, was just diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer. She had surgery the other day and is looking forward to months of chemo & radiation. As the holidays approach, please keep her in your prayers. And be thankful for everything you have and enjoy each day. We never know what the future holds for us.
"Life is painting a picture, not doing a sum." by Oliver Wendell Holmes
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Red Flannel metric century bike ride
Thursday, November 4, 2010
October 28th - my 2 year survival date - celebrated by running 2 5K's!!
October 28th was my 2 year cancer survival date & I celebrated by running two 5K's! I didn't start the month with that in mind, but I ended up running 2 back to back (2 Sunday's in a row) and they were a lot of fun. The 1st was the Amherst Skeleton Run. I've done this one before and the weather was a beautiful, fall day - perfect weather for runners. I ran up to the race as a warmup - about 1.5 miles. My son, Kyle, did the race as well, as did my brother in law Mike and my nephew Jack. Mark came up to cheer us on.
I felt really good during the race and hit the 1st mile in about 7:30. I finished the race in 23:55 - an ok time but I thought I could have done better. So I went home and found a race online for the following weekend - the Great Pumpkin run in Lakewood park. I've never run that one before, but I've run races on most of the course, so I knew the area. My goal was to go under 23 minutes. With all of the endurance training I've done over the past year for the ironman, I've kind of lost the focus on the speed and doing 5K's are great for getting some speedwork in.
On Sunday, Oct 31st, I picked my friend Judy up and we drove to Lakewood for the Great Pumpkin Run. There were more people there than I thought - about 370 runners for the 5K. Not as big as the Amherst run, but a pretty good turnout. The weather was a bit colder than the prior weekend, but that's ok when you're running. Once I got going, I was fine in my shorts and t shirt. I hit the 1st mile in 7:17, 2nd mile in 7:27 and the 3rd mile in 7:24. I finished the race with a time of 22:56, making my goal with 3 seconds to spare. That is cutting it close! But I hit my goal! Yeah!!! Judy did well too and we celebrated by stopping at a bakery for coffee/tea and croissants (blackbird bakery in Lakewood - very good!).
This upcoming weekend, Mark and I may do a 100km bike called the Red Flannel. It's weather dependent though. If we wake up and it's so cold it's snowing (or could possibly snow), I don't know if we'll go. But if it's looking like a nice fall day, we may head out for the last outdoor ride of the year. Then it's time to hole up for the winter ... time just seems to go faster and faster as I get older ... :) But I'm a 2 year survivor! And that's something to celebrate!!
I felt really good during the race and hit the 1st mile in about 7:30. I finished the race in 23:55 - an ok time but I thought I could have done better. So I went home and found a race online for the following weekend - the Great Pumpkin run in Lakewood park. I've never run that one before, but I've run races on most of the course, so I knew the area. My goal was to go under 23 minutes. With all of the endurance training I've done over the past year for the ironman, I've kind of lost the focus on the speed and doing 5K's are great for getting some speedwork in.
On Sunday, Oct 31st, I picked my friend Judy up and we drove to Lakewood for the Great Pumpkin Run. There were more people there than I thought - about 370 runners for the 5K. Not as big as the Amherst run, but a pretty good turnout. The weather was a bit colder than the prior weekend, but that's ok when you're running. Once I got going, I was fine in my shorts and t shirt. I hit the 1st mile in 7:17, 2nd mile in 7:27 and the 3rd mile in 7:24. I finished the race with a time of 22:56, making my goal with 3 seconds to spare. That is cutting it close! But I hit my goal! Yeah!!! Judy did well too and we celebrated by stopping at a bakery for coffee/tea and croissants (blackbird bakery in Lakewood - very good!).
This upcoming weekend, Mark and I may do a 100km bike called the Red Flannel. It's weather dependent though. If we wake up and it's so cold it's snowing (or could possibly snow), I don't know if we'll go. But if it's looking like a nice fall day, we may head out for the last outdoor ride of the year. Then it's time to hole up for the winter ... time just seems to go faster and faster as I get older ... :) But I'm a 2 year survivor! And that's something to celebrate!!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Visit to Boulder
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
PVG wine/covered bridge bike tour
This past weekend, Mark and I did the annual PVG bike ride. This was our 4th year doing this ride, and the past 3 years have been in beautiful fall weather. Well, this year was an exception. All week, I kept looking at the forecast hoping it was going to get better. But each day, the weekend temperatures kept getting lower and the chance for rain kept going up. Not what you want for a "nice fall bike ride thru the countryside of Geneva". But layers upon layers, I found out, will keep a person warm despite the cold weather, and in fact, I was a bit overdressed. With my plastic raincoat over everything, I actually go a little too warm.
Anyway, we started out on Saturday morning at about 9AM. I think the temp was about 45 and it wasn't raining yet, although it was cloudy. There were about 125 riders, I think, but most opted for the short course due to the weather. But not us! We rode the entire 68 miles and it started to rain about 1/2 way thru the ride. We rode pretty well and averaged 17.1 mph despite the cold and wet conditions. After finishing, we checked in, went to the hotel to shower, and then headed to Chalet Debonne for dinner, a bottle of wine, and some beer samples from their new brewery.
Sunday morning, we woke up to rain and temps about 43 degrees. And wind. But we decided to ride anyway so drove to the check in point. It turns out, only 12 people were riding that day. We were #5 and 6 on the course. At the first check point, the weather didn't seem that bad. But then we stopped for lunch, and when we got going again, it seemed really cold! I think it was the starting and stopping that was getting us chilled. After a bit, we warmed up, but then I got a flat tire, so we had to stop again. All in all, we finished and only averaged a little over 15 mph for the day - a very slow day! But we did it, and as Mark says, it's these kind of days that memories are made of. We will probably always remember the year we did a 115 mile ride in the cold, wet and windy fall weather.
Anyway, we started out on Saturday morning at about 9AM. I think the temp was about 45 and it wasn't raining yet, although it was cloudy. There were about 125 riders, I think, but most opted for the short course due to the weather. But not us! We rode the entire 68 miles and it started to rain about 1/2 way thru the ride. We rode pretty well and averaged 17.1 mph despite the cold and wet conditions. After finishing, we checked in, went to the hotel to shower, and then headed to Chalet Debonne for dinner, a bottle of wine, and some beer samples from their new brewery.
Sunday morning, we woke up to rain and temps about 43 degrees. And wind. But we decided to ride anyway so drove to the check in point. It turns out, only 12 people were riding that day. We were #5 and 6 on the course. At the first check point, the weather didn't seem that bad. But then we stopped for lunch, and when we got going again, it seemed really cold! I think it was the starting and stopping that was getting us chilled. After a bit, we warmed up, but then I got a flat tire, so we had to stop again. All in all, we finished and only averaged a little over 15 mph for the day - a very slow day! But we did it, and as Mark says, it's these kind of days that memories are made of. We will probably always remember the year we did a 115 mile ride in the cold, wet and windy fall weather.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Akron half marathon
This past Saturday, I ran in the Akron half marathon. Other than the ironman in July, it's the 1st long race I've done in awhile. I really, really enjoyed it! What a great race! I would highly recommend it to anyone who is thinking of doing a half marathon. The organization is great and the perks are nice. The course is really pretty with lots of crowd support and volunteers.
Mark and I got up at 4:30 AM in order to get there in time for the 7AM start. We got there at about 6:15 AM which was plenty of time to find parking (we parked at the Children's hospital, which is only a block or two from the stadium finish). And plenty of time to find a good place at the start. The race start of 7AM is for everyone - marathon, half marathon and relay runners. So it was very, very crowded. I'm not sure what the total participating in all 3, but the half marathon had about 3700 runners.
My goal was to do the race in 1:50 or better. And at mile 5, I thought I was on pace to hit about 1:45 - I felt great and was clipping along at about 8 min/mile or less. Then I had to make a porta potty stop. And unfortunately, since there wasn't a porta potty in sight, I had to stop and walk. And unfortunately, after that stop, I had to make 3 more. I'm not sure if it was the power bar not agreeing with me, the red bull, or the burger and fries I had the night before. But something wasn't sitting well. Anyway, I ended up with a 1:51 time. So, I was happy with that as I was running well except when I wasn't running. ha ha.
All in all, though, it was a lot of fun and I felt good (most of the time). It really made me realize how much I love to run. Although triathlons are fun, my real love is in the distance running events. Mark was laughing at me, as I came home and started looking up other half marathons. I haven't decided what's next - but I think an early spring half marathon OR marathon is in the works. Any ideas?
Mark and I got up at 4:30 AM in order to get there in time for the 7AM start. We got there at about 6:15 AM which was plenty of time to find parking (we parked at the Children's hospital, which is only a block or two from the stadium finish). And plenty of time to find a good place at the start. The race start of 7AM is for everyone - marathon, half marathon and relay runners. So it was very, very crowded. I'm not sure what the total participating in all 3, but the half marathon had about 3700 runners.
My goal was to do the race in 1:50 or better. And at mile 5, I thought I was on pace to hit about 1:45 - I felt great and was clipping along at about 8 min/mile or less. Then I had to make a porta potty stop. And unfortunately, since there wasn't a porta potty in sight, I had to stop and walk. And unfortunately, after that stop, I had to make 3 more. I'm not sure if it was the power bar not agreeing with me, the red bull, or the burger and fries I had the night before. But something wasn't sitting well. Anyway, I ended up with a 1:51 time. So, I was happy with that as I was running well except when I wasn't running. ha ha.
All in all, though, it was a lot of fun and I felt good (most of the time). It really made me realize how much I love to run. Although triathlons are fun, my real love is in the distance running events. Mark was laughing at me, as I came home and started looking up other half marathons. I haven't decided what's next - but I think an early spring half marathon OR marathon is in the works. Any ideas?
Saturday, September 4, 2010
I'm getting lazy ...
I haven't posted in over a month. Wow - I'm getting lazy. Ever since the ironman, I've pretty much been doing whatever I feel like. No structure in my workouts - just run if I feel like running and bike if I feel like biking. I told myself - as long as I get a workout in 6 days a week, that will be ok. But it hit me last night - I have a half marathon to do on Sept 25th. I better get my butt in gear. So I ran about 9 miles today. And I felt good. My pace was about 8:45 per mile. No pain - no injuries - feeling good.
I spent a week in northern California at the end of August with my 2 sisters - we visited old Sacramento, wineries, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Muir Woods, Alcatraz, etc. It was so much fun and good to spend time with my sisters. And I ran every morning. Just for the joy of it. No logs to fill out - no miles/time that had to be done. I just ran. And it was so nice. There was a trail across the street from my sisters that I ran every day. Some days I continued on a little farther. But it felt good to just be out there running and feeling good. It's funny how I remember vacations a lot from the running I do on them. We went to upper Michigan one year on vacation and the thing that stands out vividly in my mind about that trip is the long runs in the morning, with woods on both sides of me and mountains in the distance (it was up near ski country). And now that I don't have the pressure of the ironman looming in front of me, I'm really starting to enjoy running again. I wish Mark could run with me though (he's been injured since the ironman). But until he can, I'm enjoying the solitude of running in the late summer here in Ohio.
I spent a week in northern California at the end of August with my 2 sisters - we visited old Sacramento, wineries, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Muir Woods, Alcatraz, etc. It was so much fun and good to spend time with my sisters. And I ran every morning. Just for the joy of it. No logs to fill out - no miles/time that had to be done. I just ran. And it was so nice. There was a trail across the street from my sisters that I ran every day. Some days I continued on a little farther. But it felt good to just be out there running and feeling good. It's funny how I remember vacations a lot from the running I do on them. We went to upper Michigan one year on vacation and the thing that stands out vividly in my mind about that trip is the long runs in the morning, with woods on both sides of me and mountains in the distance (it was up near ski country). And now that I don't have the pressure of the ironman looming in front of me, I'm really starting to enjoy running again. I wish Mark could run with me though (he's been injured since the ironman). But until he can, I'm enjoying the solitude of running in the late summer here in Ohio.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Another ironman medal - YEAH!!
The day was long, but I am an ironman finisher again! I didn't tell anyone ahead of time, but my secret goal was to break 13 hours. Unfortunately I did not achieve this goal. But I finished and I feel great today! I am healthy, uninjured and happy to have been blessed with the ability and wellness to be able to finish an ironman. My official time was 13:49:25, 7 minutes faster than 2 years ago. I finished 16th out of 48 women in my age group.
I hope this blog has inspired someone out there that when the days ahead look questionable and you don't know if you're going to ever get better, hang in there. You do recover and you do get to the point where you feel good again. I'll never forget the day I found out I had breast cancer. I was in a fog, a blur, unsure what laid in front of me. That night, I stayed up late researching things on the internet and crying my eyes out. But the next day, I made a vow that I would beat it and be back again running & doing triathlons. In fact, the day after I found out I had breast cancer, I ran the Komen race for the cure 5K and did one of my best times ever. So hang in there ... exercise (I think) is one of the best things for your mood, your immune system, and your overall well being. It has helped me get thru some tough times and motivated me to get back in shape.
I hope this blog has inspired someone out there that when the days ahead look questionable and you don't know if you're going to ever get better, hang in there. You do recover and you do get to the point where you feel good again. I'll never forget the day I found out I had breast cancer. I was in a fog, a blur, unsure what laid in front of me. That night, I stayed up late researching things on the internet and crying my eyes out. But the next day, I made a vow that I would beat it and be back again running & doing triathlons. In fact, the day after I found out I had breast cancer, I ran the Komen race for the cure 5K and did one of my best times ever. So hang in there ... exercise (I think) is one of the best things for your mood, your immune system, and your overall well being. It has helped me get thru some tough times and motivated me to get back in shape.
I didn't sign up for next year's ironman, but I am not quitting this sport. I was already talking to my husband this morning about what races I'd like to do next. I'm hooked on this sport and it makes me feel good. And healthy. And younger as I get older. So I won't be giving it up soon.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Surprise, surprise
I had an absolutely wonderful surprise yesterday!
Mark and I had a nice day - we got our swim in (29 minutes), then a nice bike when the rain finally cleared (about an hour 15). Then we came back to the hotel to change into our running things. As we were taking our bikes up to the room, the phone rang and it was my friend, Kim (my TTT racing partner from 2 years ago). She said she was just calling to wish me luck and see how I was doing. After talking to her for a few minutes, I hung up saying that I would keep her posted as the weekend progressed. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, Kim and her brother, Rocky (Mark's triple T partner for a few years) were standing there! They drove in from Pittsburgh, PA to cheer us on! I was so surprised, I almost started crying! I am just so happy that they are here. They are wonderful people and so much fun to be with. Rocky is volunteering out on the run course, so I'll get to see him out there. And Kim will be watching from various points on the course and will be there when we finish. It's so nice to have people out there cheering us on - it just gives you something to look forward to - seeing Kim's smiling face!!
Well, it was just a great way to start the race weekend and I'm so glad they decided to surprise me and come to Lake Placid!
Here are a few pictures - one from our hotel - a view of Mirror Lake with the moon overhead. The other was taken during our bike ride yesterday.
Mark and I had a nice day - we got our swim in (29 minutes), then a nice bike when the rain finally cleared (about an hour 15). Then we came back to the hotel to change into our running things. As we were taking our bikes up to the room, the phone rang and it was my friend, Kim (my TTT racing partner from 2 years ago). She said she was just calling to wish me luck and see how I was doing. After talking to her for a few minutes, I hung up saying that I would keep her posted as the weekend progressed. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, Kim and her brother, Rocky (Mark's triple T partner for a few years) were standing there! They drove in from Pittsburgh, PA to cheer us on! I was so surprised, I almost started crying! I am just so happy that they are here. They are wonderful people and so much fun to be with. Rocky is volunteering out on the run course, so I'll get to see him out there. And Kim will be watching from various points on the course and will be there when we finish. It's so nice to have people out there cheering us on - it just gives you something to look forward to - seeing Kim's smiling face!!
Well, it was just a great way to start the race weekend and I'm so glad they decided to surprise me and come to Lake Placid!
Here are a few pictures - one from our hotel - a view of Mirror Lake with the moon overhead. The other was taken during our bike ride yesterday.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Rain, rain go away
Mark and I arrived in Lake Placid yesterday after about 10 hours of driving. And it's basically been raining since we got here! Yesterday, it was severe thunderstorm warnings with a few heavy downpours. We did manage to get a 49 minute swim in - Mirror Lake is a beautiful lake to swim in, even during a rainstorm. But I did get a little freaked out when it started lightening and I was in the middle of a lake. It didn't seem like the best place to be.
This morning, we woke up to about 60 degree temperatures and more rain. We're waiting now for the rain to stop so we can do a swim, bike, run workout today. Swim for about 20 minutes, bike for about 2 hours and then a 20 min or so run after. Just keep the muscles working and make sure the new Zipp wheel on the bike is working well. It just came before we left, so I haven't had a chance to test it out yet. After that, the plan is to go to the expo. My coach wants me to race with something I've never used before - CarboPro. I've been unable to find it anywhere except mail order. And it was too late to order it and ensure I would get it on time. If I can't find it, I'm going to stick with my original plan of racing with my tried and true - SPIZ. I like the taste and it has worked for me in past ironmen. But since I bonked at the TTT race, he is concerned with my calorie intake during races. I read while on the way here that someone doing a 11-12 hour ironman will burn 7000-8000 calories during an ironman. I'm hoping I can take in about 1/3 of that in replenishment during the race. But it's just hard to eat that much while racing. I think my biggest challenge at this point is nutrition. My plan is to take something in at every feed area, which is about every 10 miles on the bike.
Well, it looks like the rain may be breaking up. Hopefully, we'll be able to get our ride in today. Three more days until the day I've been planning for over the past year. The nerves are kicking in...
This morning, we woke up to about 60 degree temperatures and more rain. We're waiting now for the rain to stop so we can do a swim, bike, run workout today. Swim for about 20 minutes, bike for about 2 hours and then a 20 min or so run after. Just keep the muscles working and make sure the new Zipp wheel on the bike is working well. It just came before we left, so I haven't had a chance to test it out yet. After that, the plan is to go to the expo. My coach wants me to race with something I've never used before - CarboPro. I've been unable to find it anywhere except mail order. And it was too late to order it and ensure I would get it on time. If I can't find it, I'm going to stick with my original plan of racing with my tried and true - SPIZ. I like the taste and it has worked for me in past ironmen. But since I bonked at the TTT race, he is concerned with my calorie intake during races. I read while on the way here that someone doing a 11-12 hour ironman will burn 7000-8000 calories during an ironman. I'm hoping I can take in about 1/3 of that in replenishment during the race. But it's just hard to eat that much while racing. I think my biggest challenge at this point is nutrition. My plan is to take something in at every feed area, which is about every 10 miles on the bike.
Well, it looks like the rain may be breaking up. Hopefully, we'll be able to get our ride in today. Three more days until the day I've been planning for over the past year. The nerves are kicking in...
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Ironman Lake Placid In Pink - here I come
I just finished my last hard workout before the ironman. Not really that hard, but it's hot out there, which makes it harder. Mark and I did a fun bike ride this morning called the Ice Cream Odyssey. It was a 42 mile fun bike ride thru the rolling hills of Medina. And you get to stop at the half way point and eat an ice cream cone! I pushed it a little bit on the bike and we averaged about 17.5 mph, which was a good pace for me. When we got home, we went out for a 3.1 mile run and finished it in 25:06 - and it was 91 degrees and sunny out there. Mark says that I'm ready and he thinks I'm in better shape than I was for the previous 2 ironmen. We'll see ... but I do feel good and I think I'm ready. Tomorrow is a rest day, which I will probably spend packing for the trip. We leave on Tuesday night, and will make it to Buffalo and then make the rest of the trip on Wednesday. Then we'll spend a few days getting ready for the race, picking up race numbers, getting the bike ready, etc. I certainly hope the weather there isn't as hot as it's been here. But if it is - well - it is what it is. I'll deal with it one day at a time. But I think I'm ready. The journey is almost at an end and I feel great! Life is good ...
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Almost there ...
Only 2 1/2 weeks to go until Lake Placid. And I'm actually looking forward to it getting here already! It seems like it's been a long, hard 6 months of training. But yet it seems like it got here before I knew it. It's hard to believe that I started at basically ground zero a little over a year ago and here I am - working out for 17 hours per week, going on 5+ hour bike rides and 2.5 hour runs. Not to mention 1.5 hour swims in Lake Erie. But we're almost there and I'm as ready as I'm going to be, I think.
This past weekend was July 4th weekend and we did a lot of working out. Saturday morning we got up at 5AM and met our friend Tom at the lake. It was a beautiful day for a swim, with a flat lake and not a soul out there, so we decided to swim out 45 min and back 45 min. That's actually longer than it will take to do the ironman swim, so it was great practice to swim straight for that long. After our swim, Mark and I headed to the metroparks for our 2.5 hour trail run. After many stops on my part (I think I have figured out that I have a gluten intolerance issue), I finally settled in and was able to do the last hour with no stops. And I got 17.5 miles in, so a very good run despite my "issues". Sunday was a long bike day, so we left the house at about 6:45 AM for a ride to Bay Village. Mark ran the Bay day 5 miler while I continued riding (my coach had said no racing until LP). After he finished, we headed home to refuel, and then headed out again for another 2+ hours. Total ride time was a little over 5 hours and 85 miles. Then I had to get a run in, despite the 92 degree heat. Needless to say, I was wiped out after all of that and went to bed at about 9PM. Training for an ironman means basically going to bed very early most nights.
On Monday, we got up again at 5AM for another lake swim - again swimming for an hour & 40 minutes. I hadn't received my workouts yet for the week, so I decided that was it for the day. I needed a break. So the rest of the day was relaxation, steaks on the grill and watching the tour de france.
This week is a little less volume - 14.5 hours. Then it's time to taper for 2 weeks. Boy, am I looking forward to the taper!!
This past weekend was July 4th weekend and we did a lot of working out. Saturday morning we got up at 5AM and met our friend Tom at the lake. It was a beautiful day for a swim, with a flat lake and not a soul out there, so we decided to swim out 45 min and back 45 min. That's actually longer than it will take to do the ironman swim, so it was great practice to swim straight for that long. After our swim, Mark and I headed to the metroparks for our 2.5 hour trail run. After many stops on my part (I think I have figured out that I have a gluten intolerance issue), I finally settled in and was able to do the last hour with no stops. And I got 17.5 miles in, so a very good run despite my "issues". Sunday was a long bike day, so we left the house at about 6:45 AM for a ride to Bay Village. Mark ran the Bay day 5 miler while I continued riding (my coach had said no racing until LP). After he finished, we headed home to refuel, and then headed out again for another 2+ hours. Total ride time was a little over 5 hours and 85 miles. Then I had to get a run in, despite the 92 degree heat. Needless to say, I was wiped out after all of that and went to bed at about 9PM. Training for an ironman means basically going to bed very early most nights.
On Monday, we got up again at 5AM for another lake swim - again swimming for an hour & 40 minutes. I hadn't received my workouts yet for the week, so I decided that was it for the day. I needed a break. So the rest of the day was relaxation, steaks on the grill and watching the tour de france.
This week is a little less volume - 14.5 hours. Then it's time to taper for 2 weeks. Boy, am I looking forward to the taper!!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Ironman volume - whew!!
The heavy training volume started last week, with 17.5 hours of training scheduled for last week, this week and the following week. And the weekends are the hardest! Well, let me tell you all about the FUN training day I had this past Saturday. And note that I couldn't have made it thru the day without my wonderful husband, who is always there to rescue me.
The day started with a 5AM wakeup in order to be at the lake by 6AM to swim with our friend, Tom. We got there right at 6, and the lake was beautiful for our first swim in Lake Erie! It was flat and not too cold, and we were able to swim for a little over an hour. We got home by about 8 and I headed out for my 5 hour bike ride at about 9:30AM. The temperature was already in the 80's at this time, with the sun beating down, so it was going to be a hot one! As Mark was riding with some friends, I was on my own for this one, so I mapped out an 87 mile route and headed on my way (with handwritten instructions on which way to turn on each street). I should have brought a map. I got lost in LaGrange. Lesson #1 of the day - always have a map if you're going far and don't know the area. I figured it out after going in a circle, but then I got a flat on my rear tire. I called Mark and he was home from his ride, but heading out on a run. So I said - let me see if I can change it and I'll call you back. It took me 15 minutes, but I was able to change it. But then 5 miles down the rode, it blew again. There was a worn spot on the tire, so either that was the culprit or I pinched the tube. Lesson #2 - always check for a pinched tube. I called Mark back and he drove 30 miles out to deliver a new tire for me - he also changed it, filled it up and brought me a redbull to get me thru the rest of the ride. I still had at least an hour & a half left. I gave Mark my backpack to take in the truck with him and headed back on my ride. It was now close to 90 degrees and within about 10 miles, I ran out of water. And I realized that when I gave Mark my backpack, my money was in there. Lesson #3 - always keep money for emergencies! Needless to say, I made it home. About 4.5 hours of riding but almost 6.5 hours out on the road. And I still needed to run. I ran 20 minutes thru our neighborhood in the heat & sun, but I did it. Very long day.
Then on Sunday, Mark and I ran 17 miles in the metroparks in about 2.5 hours.
I'm so glad I have a husband who is so understanding, supportive and a great training partner! I couldn't have done it without him. Any of this! From getting thru the first cancer diagnosis to the ironman training. He has been there every step of the way.
The day started with a 5AM wakeup in order to be at the lake by 6AM to swim with our friend, Tom. We got there right at 6, and the lake was beautiful for our first swim in Lake Erie! It was flat and not too cold, and we were able to swim for a little over an hour. We got home by about 8 and I headed out for my 5 hour bike ride at about 9:30AM. The temperature was already in the 80's at this time, with the sun beating down, so it was going to be a hot one! As Mark was riding with some friends, I was on my own for this one, so I mapped out an 87 mile route and headed on my way (with handwritten instructions on which way to turn on each street). I should have brought a map. I got lost in LaGrange. Lesson #1 of the day - always have a map if you're going far and don't know the area. I figured it out after going in a circle, but then I got a flat on my rear tire. I called Mark and he was home from his ride, but heading out on a run. So I said - let me see if I can change it and I'll call you back. It took me 15 minutes, but I was able to change it. But then 5 miles down the rode, it blew again. There was a worn spot on the tire, so either that was the culprit or I pinched the tube. Lesson #2 - always check for a pinched tube. I called Mark back and he drove 30 miles out to deliver a new tire for me - he also changed it, filled it up and brought me a redbull to get me thru the rest of the ride. I still had at least an hour & a half left. I gave Mark my backpack to take in the truck with him and headed back on my ride. It was now close to 90 degrees and within about 10 miles, I ran out of water. And I realized that when I gave Mark my backpack, my money was in there. Lesson #3 - always keep money for emergencies! Needless to say, I made it home. About 4.5 hours of riding but almost 6.5 hours out on the road. And I still needed to run. I ran 20 minutes thru our neighborhood in the heat & sun, but I did it. Very long day.
Then on Sunday, Mark and I ran 17 miles in the metroparks in about 2.5 hours.
I'm so glad I have a husband who is so understanding, supportive and a great training partner! I couldn't have done it without him. Any of this! From getting thru the first cancer diagnosis to the ironman training. He has been there every step of the way.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Kelley's Island 10K (and 6 weeks until Lake Placid)
This past weekend, Mark and I headed to Kelley's Island for a "training weekend". We left Amherst at 6:25 AM (early departure in order to beat the predicted thunderstorms). Getting to Kelley's island on a bike is a little tricky, as you have to head south and go thru Castalia, as you can't take your bike on the highways. Anyway, we made great time, arriving at the ferry before 11AM - 80 miles in approx. 4:15 (i.e. about 18.5 mph). Since we had told Kyle to meet us there with all our stuff at about 11:30-12, we had some time to spare, so we got ice cream cones! Actually, Mark had two!!
We got on the 12:30 ferry and then met the Tomoff family on the island. The plan was to get a run in, shower and meet them at the winery at about 2:30. But Mark still needed to get 10 miles on the bike in, plus a run. So we didn't make it by the 2:30 cutoff that our friends put out there, and didn't get to the winery until a little after 3. Mark and I had a cheese & sausage tray (which was really good!!), I had a glass of white wine, and Mark had, as the bartender called it, a Lake Erie highball (ice water). We then spent the afternoon and evening at a cookout with Don, Beth, Alex, Kristin, Stevie & Paul. A lot of good food and conversation, including looking at Don's new toy - the IPad.
The 10K was Sunday morning at 10:45am. The morning started off cloudy & breezy and we were all excited that we were going to have nice weather for the run. But then the sun came out, the breeze went away and it got really HOT! But we all had a great time - I don't know what it is about that run, but running the 10K on Kelley's Island is always a lot of fun. Don, Beth, Mark and I all got awards in our age groups, which is always a bonus. We then had pizza & salad after (annual tradition) and got on the 2:30 ferry home. All in all, a great weekend and a lot of fun!!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Training update
It's been a few weeks since I've written an update, but I haven't been slacking off. There's been A LOT going on! After TTT, Mark and I went to Boulder to visit Caitlin and also to celebrate Mark's 50th birthday AND run the Bolder Boulder. We had a great weekend! It was wonderful to see Caitlin and Mark and she got some hard bikes in (I ran and swam while they were biking the hills of Boulder). We spent most of our time with Caitlin - ate out a lot, went to a local memorial day festival, farmers market, sushi for Mark's birthday,etc. I even got to see my coach, Scott, who I haven't seen in over 4 years. And meet his very nice wife, Teresa. They moved to Boulder recently and both just held a tri camp, so invited us to their house for a bbq. We got to meet a lot of their friends, who are all serious athletes. It made me feel very out of my league.
Saturday, Mark and I are doing our annual bike ride to Kelley's Island and then the 10K race afterwards. Last year, I couldn't do this ride, as I had just had a reconstruction surgery. So Mark and Caitlin rode over and Kyle and I took the truck over. But this year, I'm feeling back to myself and have been training pretty hard for months. So hopefully, I'm ready to make this ride. It's over 80 miles to ride there, as we have to go the long way and bypass the water. We're going to leave early Saturday morning to hopefully avoid the thunderstorms. We've been making this trip every year since the kids were about 5. This year, sadly to say, they won't be coming with us. But we have a lot of good memories at Kelley's Island.
Anyway - training is going well. I'm getting all the workouts in. Nothing is hurting or strained or sprained. I feel good. The only thing missing at this point is lake swimming, but hopefully we'll get that going next week.
More updates soon...
Saturday, Mark and I are doing our annual bike ride to Kelley's Island and then the 10K race afterwards. Last year, I couldn't do this ride, as I had just had a reconstruction surgery. So Mark and Caitlin rode over and Kyle and I took the truck over. But this year, I'm feeling back to myself and have been training pretty hard for months. So hopefully, I'm ready to make this ride. It's over 80 miles to ride there, as we have to go the long way and bypass the water. We're going to leave early Saturday morning to hopefully avoid the thunderstorms. We've been making this trip every year since the kids were about 5. This year, sadly to say, they won't be coming with us. But we have a lot of good memories at Kelley's Island.
Anyway - training is going well. I'm getting all the workouts in. Nothing is hurting or strained or sprained. I feel good. The only thing missing at this point is lake swimming, but hopefully we'll get that going next week.
More updates soon...
Monday, May 24, 2010
Check - TTT racing weekend accomplished!
Team "For better or worse" finished the triple t course this past weekend, and we are still married and happy! In fact, my romantic husband got down on one knee at the finish line and said "will you marry me". One of the volunteers said "did I just really witness a proposal?". It was so nice of him, especially after being out there with me thru thick and thin, till death do us part. It was a very tough day!
The day started at 4:50 AM with the alarm going off early so we could pack up the room, check out, eat and get to the race start by about 6AM. I think this is where my problems began. With getting everything packed up and ready, I only at a 100 calorie yogurt. I should have at about 400 more calories than that. I know that, and I've done it before, but I just wasn't thinking.
Anyway, I did do something race smart - I wore my neoprene cap for the swim. Mark said that he thinks the water was the coldest it's ever been, as there was a lot of rain over the weekend. But the neoprene cap worked wonderfully! I was able to swim no problem. No foggy goggles, no ice headache from the cold water - it went well and I exited the water and got to transition in about 38 minutes. Things were starting off well!
We hit the first hill on the bike and I knew we were in for a long day. My legs were so sore. Mark was raring to go and I felt bad that I was holding him back. But he didn't seem to mind too terribly bad. At one point he told me I was "lollygagging" as I looked around at the pretty butterflies, horses and cows along the way. It is a beautiful course. The uphill switchbacks, which I was really nervous about, weren't as bad as I remembered them and I was able to do them, although slowly. We usually seemed to get passed on the uphills, but caught up with people on the downhills. Big mistake on my part occured on the bike, though. I should have eaten. I don't know why, but I did not eat anything except 4 pretzels and some power ade on the bike. I drank a lot of water, but no food. I should have eaten about 500 calores to prepare for the run. Not smart at all! Total bike time was about 4 hours.
On to the run. The lack of nutrition hit me at about mile 1!!! I knew I was in trouble when I hit the first hill and could barely move. I was seriously doubting whether I could finish the race. We managed to make it to the first aid station, which was at about mile 2.5, where I ate 2 oreos and drank some water. That seemed to help a little. But it wasn't until I started drinking the coke they had out there that I started feeling a little better. We made it to the turn around and I knew I could do one more loop. I think the 2nd loop went faster than the 1st loop (maybe not for Mark!).
Anyway, we finished the race in 7:25:01 (approximately). We did it.
Total times for the weekend were:
Friday - 32:39
The day started at 4:50 AM with the alarm going off early so we could pack up the room, check out, eat and get to the race start by about 6AM. I think this is where my problems began. With getting everything packed up and ready, I only at a 100 calorie yogurt. I should have at about 400 more calories than that. I know that, and I've done it before, but I just wasn't thinking.
Anyway, I did do something race smart - I wore my neoprene cap for the swim. Mark said that he thinks the water was the coldest it's ever been, as there was a lot of rain over the weekend. But the neoprene cap worked wonderfully! I was able to swim no problem. No foggy goggles, no ice headache from the cold water - it went well and I exited the water and got to transition in about 38 minutes. Things were starting off well!
We hit the first hill on the bike and I knew we were in for a long day. My legs were so sore. Mark was raring to go and I felt bad that I was holding him back. But he didn't seem to mind too terribly bad. At one point he told me I was "lollygagging" as I looked around at the pretty butterflies, horses and cows along the way. It is a beautiful course. The uphill switchbacks, which I was really nervous about, weren't as bad as I remembered them and I was able to do them, although slowly. We usually seemed to get passed on the uphills, but caught up with people on the downhills. Big mistake on my part occured on the bike, though. I should have eaten. I don't know why, but I did not eat anything except 4 pretzels and some power ade on the bike. I drank a lot of water, but no food. I should have eaten about 500 calores to prepare for the run. Not smart at all! Total bike time was about 4 hours.
On to the run. The lack of nutrition hit me at about mile 1!!! I knew I was in trouble when I hit the first hill and could barely move. I was seriously doubting whether I could finish the race. We managed to make it to the first aid station, which was at about mile 2.5, where I ate 2 oreos and drank some water. That seemed to help a little. But it wasn't until I started drinking the coke they had out there that I started feeling a little better. We made it to the turn around and I knew I could do one more loop. I think the 2nd loop went faster than the 1st loop (maybe not for Mark!).
Anyway, we finished the race in 7:25:01 (approximately). We did it.
Total times for the weekend were:
Friday - 32:39
Saturday AM - 3:13:13
Saturday PM - 3:22:47
Sunday - 7:25:01 FINISHER'S MEDAL
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Saturday - Race 2 & 3 - TTT
I'm sitting here in the hotel room with my feet propped up and my newly purchased compression socks on (their pink!!). I hope they work, because today was a grueling day!
The morning started with about 63 degree temperatures, but an announcement that the bike course would have to be changed. It seems that last night, there were thunderstorms so severe that a tornado touched down 30 miles from here. And it brought down trees right along the mornings bike route. So no Thompson Hill this morning. Instead we got to ride route 125 twice - same route as the afternoon would be ridden in the morning. I was disappointed. In my opinion, route 125 is the tougher of the two. Sure, Thompson Hill is tough, but it's such a beautiful course, it makes up for the climb. Some of the bikers call it a "technical" course, as there are a lot of downhills and turns, but that is what makes it a fun course to ride.
Anyway ... the cold swim start was on time, however as Mark and I are seeded near the back (we can't figure out why, as Mark did very well in his racing last year), it took us about 15 minutes until we started. It took me awhile to get going, as the water was COLD, but once I got going, I was fine. The bike was tough - there is a really nice downhill as you're heading out, which you know you will have to climb on the way back. VERY tough! And the run is the hardest run I have ever done. It's done on lampblack road, which is a dirt road that basically heads uphill for 3.25 miles and then back again. The bonus is that it's shaded. The downside is it's VERY hilly and there are lots of horse flies. Here's a picture of Mark and I before race #3 in the afternoon. The swim on the 2nd day is the hardest for me, as you bike first, then swim and then run last. But we made it and we are now back at the hotel resting. Tomorrow is a half ironman. So time for me to go to sleep and get some well needed rest!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Day 1 - TTT weekend - prerace
Mark and I are sitting here resting before the 1st race of the weekend starts. It took us over 7 hours to get here yesterday, which is about 2 hours more than normal. However, we stopped at a super walmart to get some supplies, so it really was only 6 hours driving time.
We went on a 1 hour ride this morning on Sunday's course (Fire road 1). This is a picture of Mark ahead of me on the beautiful course. It rained for most of our ride, with a downpour at the end. But it's pretty nice out there now. And according to the volunteers, the lake temp is 72. Woo hoo! That means I won't be freezing!!
More reports to come as the weekend progresses.
More reports to come as the weekend progresses.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
TTT weekend is here!!
I can't believe this weekend is here! Even as I say that, the butterflies in my stomach start to flutter. I'm a big worrier (as Mark says all the time - there is a cloud over my head), and I always think about what could go wrong. So I looked up the weather this morning, and it's supposed to rain tomorrow and Saturday. Which means - the lake will be COLD. When doing triathlons, for some reason, that is my big fear - swimming in very cold water. So that will be my mental issue this weekend - getting thru the swim. Mark will be with me on the bike and hopefully on the run (he's been battling some sciatica issues). But the swim is a lone sport. You are out there in the cold, murky water alone. Sure, there are hundreds of swimmers around you, but they are mostly trying to push you out of the way to get by. Well - I've done it before and made it thru, so I know I can do it again.
As I said to our friend, Kim, who has been there every year we have done this race but won't be there this year - time flies by in TTT years. It seems like just yesterday that we met Kim and her brother Rocky at Shawnee State Park. That first meeting in the lodge restaurant turned into years of friendship ahead. But sadly, Kim did her last TTT and ironman last year, and decided she needed to spend more time with her family. I guess that's not something I should say "sadly" about - it's great for her and her family, but sad for me as I won't get to see her this year.
But ... this is the first time I get to partner with my husband as team "For better or worse". I'm looking forward to racing with him all weekend. He's a great support on the bike and run and we'll have a lot of fun.
So we are off. Mark is downstairs packing the last of the gear into the truck. We are then off for our 4+ hour drive down to Portsmouth, Ohio. I'll try to post the results all weekend. Wish us luck in our first BIG race of the season!
As I said to our friend, Kim, who has been there every year we have done this race but won't be there this year - time flies by in TTT years. It seems like just yesterday that we met Kim and her brother Rocky at Shawnee State Park. That first meeting in the lodge restaurant turned into years of friendship ahead. But sadly, Kim did her last TTT and ironman last year, and decided she needed to spend more time with her family. I guess that's not something I should say "sadly" about - it's great for her and her family, but sad for me as I won't get to see her this year.
But ... this is the first time I get to partner with my husband as team "For better or worse". I'm looking forward to racing with him all weekend. He's a great support on the bike and run and we'll have a lot of fun.
So we are off. Mark is downstairs packing the last of the gear into the truck. We are then off for our 4+ hour drive down to Portsmouth, Ohio. I'll try to post the results all weekend. Wish us luck in our first BIG race of the season!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
TTT is getting closer (and I'm nervous...)
The first big race of the year is drawing nearer. The American Triple-T (http://www.americantriple-t.com/) is less than 3 weeks away. In my opinion, after doing this race 3 times, it is a tougher race than the full ironman. And this was confirmed today when I was looking up information on the internet and stumbled upon http://www.slowtwitch.com/, where there was a forum on what the hardest half and full ironmans in North America were. Some of the people on the site weighed in and said the half on Sunday at triple t and Lake placid ironman were the toughest races in the US. And I thought "what am I doing signed up for these races???". But I've done them both before, and I know I can do them again. But it still makes me very nervous.
I remember the first time we decided to try out this race called "Desoto American Triple T" or DATT as we called it (or as a friend of ours (Rocky) calls it "The Delsoto Triple Crown"). Mark and I and our training partner, Mike Slabe, decided to sign up for this difficult race. We figured it would be such a great accomplishment if we could train for and complete this race. And we trained our hearts out. I think all three of could say we were in the best shapes of our lives. Mike, who is a phenomenal swimmer, helped us on the swim workouts. He would meet us at the local pool and develop swim workouts for us that were tough, but a lot of fun. We would meet on the weekends to do hill repeats on the bike and run for hours on end in the metroparks. The race laid ahead of us as this daunting feat that we thought we could do, but it was scary and so we trained as hard as we could so that we would be ready. And we did it! Not only did we do it, but we came in 2nd in the coed team and each of us won a pair of Rudy Project sunglasses. Wow!
I guess it boils down to - there are challenges out there that may seem impossible to overcome when you first undertake them (triple t, ironman, breast cancer, etc). But if you stick to the plan, and have what Mark calls "mental toughness", you can overcome, conquer, and excel at your dreams & goals. I just have to remember this when I'm out there on the Triple T course and wondering if I can make it up that next hill. I know I can do it and I know I'll feel good about it once I do. The "doing it" is tough. But the outcome and reward are definitely worth the price paid.
I remember the first time we decided to try out this race called "Desoto American Triple T" or DATT as we called it (or as a friend of ours (Rocky) calls it "The Delsoto Triple Crown"). Mark and I and our training partner, Mike Slabe, decided to sign up for this difficult race. We figured it would be such a great accomplishment if we could train for and complete this race. And we trained our hearts out. I think all three of could say we were in the best shapes of our lives. Mike, who is a phenomenal swimmer, helped us on the swim workouts. He would meet us at the local pool and develop swim workouts for us that were tough, but a lot of fun. We would meet on the weekends to do hill repeats on the bike and run for hours on end in the metroparks. The race laid ahead of us as this daunting feat that we thought we could do, but it was scary and so we trained as hard as we could so that we would be ready. And we did it! Not only did we do it, but we came in 2nd in the coed team and each of us won a pair of Rudy Project sunglasses. Wow!
I guess it boils down to - there are challenges out there that may seem impossible to overcome when you first undertake them (triple t, ironman, breast cancer, etc). But if you stick to the plan, and have what Mark calls "mental toughness", you can overcome, conquer, and excel at your dreams & goals. I just have to remember this when I'm out there on the Triple T course and wondering if I can make it up that next hill. I know I can do it and I know I'll feel good about it once I do. The "doing it" is tough. But the outcome and reward are definitely worth the price paid.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
It's not all about me
As I was swimming last night, I was thinking about what I should put in my next blog. Every day has been a blur of working and training. And I tend to think about - what am "I" going to do at work today, what am "I" going to do for my workout today, etc. I think I've been thinking a little too much about me. A couple days ago I got an email from a woman that I've been emailing back and forth with but haven't even met. Her name is Colleen and she's going thru chemo right now for breast cancer. She has so much energy and enthusiasm, and I hope that I'm helping her with my emails and advice. But it made me think that the whole reason I started this blog wasn't to tell you all about how I'm doing in my races or training, but to inspire others that there is life after going thru the breast cancer treatments. I clearly remember the days after my diagnosis and first surgery - searching the internet for some glimmer of what I would be able to do athletically after the treatments. I was so fearful that my days of running and triathlon were over. Many of you may think that is crazy - how could someone with breast cancer be worried about RUNNING! But running, biking and triathlon are such a big part of my life, I was worried. I wanted it to still be part of my life. And I searched for something out there that would ease my fears and tell me that everything was going to be ok. I hope this blog is helping someone out there with that fear.
And although I may not say it enough, a big "thank you" to my wonderful, wonderful husband for everything he does to allow me to indulge in this one last ironman - my ironman in Pink. THANK YOU!!!
And although I may not say it enough, a big "thank you" to my wonderful, wonderful husband for everything he does to allow me to indulge in this one last ironman - my ironman in Pink. THANK YOU!!!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Hermes 10 miler race report
Yesterday was the Hermes 10 mile running race and everything went absolutely wonderful! We looked at the weather channel before leaving, and thought for sure that we were going to have a very rainy race. But the weather turned out perfect for a run!
Mark and I picked up Judy at about 7AM and headed down to Edgewater beach/park for the annual Hermes 10 miler. I was a bit nervous, which meant we had to make a stop half way to the race at a McDonalds so I could use the restroom. But other than that, we made pretty good time and got there at about 7:40 and found parking right near the finish line. I had picked up all our race packets the day before, so all we had to do was head to the start, with another stop at the bathroom along the way. We made it to the start line a few minutes before the start and then we were off. Mark had decided to stick with me and pace me to an 8 min/mile race. The first mile was a bit hard, due to all the people and being back in the pack a bit. It took us about 28 seconds just to get to the start mat and activate our chip. I hit the 1st mile in 8:01. That was the only mile that was over 8 minutes. Until the dreaded porta potty stop! If I could make it thru a run without stopping at porta potties, I could actually be a good runner! Ha ha... Anyway, my stop last a minute and 25 seconds (Mark timed me). But every other mile was under 8 minutes and I crossed the finish line in 1:19:57, making my 8 min/mile goal despite the pit stop. Thanks to my pacer, Mark! I could not have done it without him - I just don't think I would have pushed myself as much. It's such a good feeling to set a goal and achieve it. And feel good after (physically). And have a wonderful husband who supports me every step of the way. Oh - and also, to get home and check the results and see that I got FIRST in my age group. All in all, it was a great race. Thank you, Mark, for being there for me.
Mark and I picked up Judy at about 7AM and headed down to Edgewater beach/park for the annual Hermes 10 miler. I was a bit nervous, which meant we had to make a stop half way to the race at a McDonalds so I could use the restroom. But other than that, we made pretty good time and got there at about 7:40 and found parking right near the finish line. I had picked up all our race packets the day before, so all we had to do was head to the start, with another stop at the bathroom along the way. We made it to the start line a few minutes before the start and then we were off. Mark had decided to stick with me and pace me to an 8 min/mile race. The first mile was a bit hard, due to all the people and being back in the pack a bit. It took us about 28 seconds just to get to the start mat and activate our chip. I hit the 1st mile in 8:01. That was the only mile that was over 8 minutes. Until the dreaded porta potty stop! If I could make it thru a run without stopping at porta potties, I could actually be a good runner! Ha ha... Anyway, my stop last a minute and 25 seconds (Mark timed me). But every other mile was under 8 minutes and I crossed the finish line in 1:19:57, making my 8 min/mile goal despite the pit stop. Thanks to my pacer, Mark! I could not have done it without him - I just don't think I would have pushed myself as much. It's such a good feeling to set a goal and achieve it. And feel good after (physically). And have a wonderful husband who supports me every step of the way. Oh - and also, to get home and check the results and see that I got FIRST in my age group. All in all, it was a great race. Thank you, Mark, for being there for me.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Miami University triathlon race report
My first triathlon of the season, and it went great! I'm just so happy with how everything went - it gives me some well needed confidence for the races this upcoming summer.
Mark and I left Friday after work for the 4+ hour drive down to Miami University. Luckily, Mark got off work a little early, so he was able to pack everything up so we were ready to go when I got home. We hit the road at about 6:15 PM and got down to Oxford at about 10:30. We didn't stop for dinner, so I ended up having pretzels & caffeine free coke for dinner (healthy pre- race dinner!). We had some trouble finding the hotel when we got there, but after about 15 min, we found it thanks to Mark's eagle eye.
When we checked in, the receptionist said she was taking a poll on how many hours per week people train. I figured since Mark and I were training for an ironman, we'd be close to the top. But NO - someone had already checked in and said they trained for 1.5 hours 15 times per week! Unbelievable. That beat me by quite a lot!
Anyway - the Comfort Inn in Oxford was nice, although Mark had to get up at about midnight to go out to the truck to get some ear plugs for both of us. The hotel was quiet except for the room next to us, where the people had the tv blasting. Knowing we had to get up at 5AM, we needed some sleep! The ear plugs worked.
We got up at 5AM and found out it was only 41 degrees outside, and not expected to get any warmer for the morning. Luckily, I had brought clothes for all kinds of weather. So I layered up and we headed for the race. We left the hotel at about 5:30 AM, so got there early and got a great parking place. We picked up our numbers, chips and set up our bikes. The hard part was taking all the warm clothes off to head to the pool in a swimsuit and bare feet. But the building was warm and the pool water was pretty warm at 79.9 degrees. We listened to the triathlon instructions and then got in line for the start. It's a staggered start, and the swim is a serpentine style swim covering 400 meters in a 50 meter pool (8 lengths in a serpentine style swim). It's actually a very ingeneous way to swim a pool tri and works great, even though there are about 600 people competing. They send the swimmers off every 3 seconds and it worked beautifully. I never felt crowded in the pool. I think 2 people passed me and I passed 2 people, so I finished about even in 9 minutes. Kind of slow, but I'm not that great of a swimmer so I don't try to go all out on the swim.
I then headed into transition to layer up. I was a little warm from the swim, so only put on biking shorts, some arm warmers and a vest. I then headed out with a 2:35 transition time. I had my sunglasses and biking gloves on the bike, so I put those on while I was starting to ride. I wasn't as cold on the bike as I thought I'd be and I was able to finish in 45:05, which I was happy with considering there are a couple of good size hills on the course.
Mark had said at the beginning that he thought he'd be done before I started the run, so he thought he could do the run with me. I didn't see him as I headed in and was able to transition from the bike to the run in under a minute. I started the run feeling pretty good and didn't see Mark until I was about 1/2 mile into the run. He finished and came back out and was able to run the last 1/2 mile or so with me. I ended up running pretty well and more importantly, I felt great. I had no pain whatsoever and just felt really good.
Overall, I finished the race in 1:21:47 compared with 1:24:09 2 years ago (pre-breast cancer). That just made my day - being able to do a race faster than I did before going thru four surgeries, a staph infection and undergoing treatment for breast cancer. What a great feeling!
And you can ask Mark ... I was literally singing on the drive home!
Mark and I left Friday after work for the 4+ hour drive down to Miami University. Luckily, Mark got off work a little early, so he was able to pack everything up so we were ready to go when I got home. We hit the road at about 6:15 PM and got down to Oxford at about 10:30. We didn't stop for dinner, so I ended up having pretzels & caffeine free coke for dinner (healthy pre- race dinner!). We had some trouble finding the hotel when we got there, but after about 15 min, we found it thanks to Mark's eagle eye.
When we checked in, the receptionist said she was taking a poll on how many hours per week people train. I figured since Mark and I were training for an ironman, we'd be close to the top. But NO - someone had already checked in and said they trained for 1.5 hours 15 times per week! Unbelievable. That beat me by quite a lot!
Anyway - the Comfort Inn in Oxford was nice, although Mark had to get up at about midnight to go out to the truck to get some ear plugs for both of us. The hotel was quiet except for the room next to us, where the people had the tv blasting. Knowing we had to get up at 5AM, we needed some sleep! The ear plugs worked.
We got up at 5AM and found out it was only 41 degrees outside, and not expected to get any warmer for the morning. Luckily, I had brought clothes for all kinds of weather. So I layered up and we headed for the race. We left the hotel at about 5:30 AM, so got there early and got a great parking place. We picked up our numbers, chips and set up our bikes. The hard part was taking all the warm clothes off to head to the pool in a swimsuit and bare feet. But the building was warm and the pool water was pretty warm at 79.9 degrees. We listened to the triathlon instructions and then got in line for the start. It's a staggered start, and the swim is a serpentine style swim covering 400 meters in a 50 meter pool (8 lengths in a serpentine style swim). It's actually a very ingeneous way to swim a pool tri and works great, even though there are about 600 people competing. They send the swimmers off every 3 seconds and it worked beautifully. I never felt crowded in the pool. I think 2 people passed me and I passed 2 people, so I finished about even in 9 minutes. Kind of slow, but I'm not that great of a swimmer so I don't try to go all out on the swim.
I then headed into transition to layer up. I was a little warm from the swim, so only put on biking shorts, some arm warmers and a vest. I then headed out with a 2:35 transition time. I had my sunglasses and biking gloves on the bike, so I put those on while I was starting to ride. I wasn't as cold on the bike as I thought I'd be and I was able to finish in 45:05, which I was happy with considering there are a couple of good size hills on the course.
Mark had said at the beginning that he thought he'd be done before I started the run, so he thought he could do the run with me. I didn't see him as I headed in and was able to transition from the bike to the run in under a minute. I started the run feeling pretty good and didn't see Mark until I was about 1/2 mile into the run. He finished and came back out and was able to run the last 1/2 mile or so with me. I ended up running pretty well and more importantly, I felt great. I had no pain whatsoever and just felt really good.
Overall, I finished the race in 1:21:47 compared with 1:24:09 2 years ago (pre-breast cancer). That just made my day - being able to do a race faster than I did before going thru four surgeries, a staph infection and undergoing treatment for breast cancer. What a great feeling!
And you can ask Mark ... I was literally singing on the drive home!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Spring is here
After a few warm days (like in the 80's warm), it's a little colder today and I'm getting ready to spin in the basement. But for those 1st few warm spring days, it sure was nice to get out in the warmth and sun to bike and run. This past Saturday, I did my 1st outdoor bike of the season with my husband, Mark. We rode for 2.5 hours and it was very nice and warm, although very, very, very windy (in face, when we got back, the weather channel said there was a wind advisory). But just when I thought I wasn't doing well against the wind, Mark looked over at me and said "you're doing really well". That really helped my confidence, and when I got home, I was able to run for 20 minutes at under a 9 min/mile pace. It's amazing what a little confidence and words of encouragement will do! On Easter morning, Mark and I headed out for an almost 2 hour run. Again, the weather was beautiful. We had attended mass the night before (Easter vigil), so we were able to relax a bit on Easter morning, eat some cinnamon rolls and drink our coffee (Mark) and tea (me) before we headed out on the run. After our run, I cleaned the house, did some cooking and awaited the family coming over for a nice Easter dinner. Life is good, isn't it??I'm sorry
I'm sorry - I have been very bad about posting to the blog lately. As a CPA, you would think I'd be done with my taxes by now (I'm not), but that's not my only excuse. Working out has taken a lot of time, but that's not a great excuse either. My daughter was home on spring break a couple of weeks ago, but she did a lot of the cooking, so that should have given me more time. So ... no good excuses. I did just finish a good book called "The Road". I would highly recommend it. Anyway - I promise I will post an update this weekend.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Quote
I came across this quote and thought I would post it - it's something I need to think about more often ...
Lord God, please wash my jaded eyes with wonder more often so that I can see the everyday as You do.
Lord God, please wash my jaded eyes with wonder more often so that I can see the everyday as You do.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Sole to Soul 5K race report
Just got back from a morning of racing with the family! Caitlin is home on spring break, so all 4 of us headed to the 5K at about 7:30 this morning (Mark, Kyle, Caitlin and I). It was about 21 degrees when we left the house and only 27 degrees after we finished the race - quite a cold morning. Caitlin and I ran most of the race together, with Kyle very close to us. Mark, of course, was way in front of us and finished at under a 6 min/mile pace. Caitlin, Kyle and I did about 7:45/mile, which I was happy with. This was the 1st running of the Sole to Soul 5K in Avon, benefitting Holy Trinity school. It was very well organized and a very nice, flat course - small turnout this year, but that can be expected for such a cold, spring morning, I guess. After the race, Mark, Caitlin and I did the course again to get another 3 miles in as a cooldown. Kyle decided to nap in the car while we ran. We then all headed to Bruegger's Bagels for some carbo loading after the run.
All in all - a very nice morning with the family - the sun is shining - and it's Saturday! Too bad I now have to work on taxes :(
All in all - a very nice morning with the family - the sun is shining - and it's Saturday! Too bad I now have to work on taxes :(
Sunday, March 14, 2010
St. Malachi Race Report
The weather has been beautiful all week - I think we may even have seen a 70 degree day. And the sun has been shining for a record breaking number of days - at least for Northeast Ohio in early March. But yesterday, for the St. Malachi 5 mile race, we woke up to rain and the temp hovering around 40 degrees. Most people would think that sounds awful, but it's actually great weather for runners, especially since the weather decided to cooperate and it only rained before and after the race. The weather during the race was absolutely perfect - cloudy and about 42 degrees. I wore shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt, a cap and gloves. I had a jacket on too, but ended up having to tie it around my waist, because I got too warm.
Anyway - I ended up running a total time of 40:39, my worst Malachi time ever, but I'm very happy with it. I placed 2nd in my age group out of 40 women. All of that doesn't really matter - I felt good and I'm out there. A year ago, I didn't even go to the race, as I had surgery in February to remove an infected expander (staph infection) and had another surgery scheduled for March 19th to get the expander put back in. So to stand at the start line, ready to race with about 3000 other runners, felt great. It felt good to push myself on the hills (although I still have a lot of work to do). And for part of the run, I had a nice chat with a young woman who was running a great pace and was 6 months pregnant. I ended up telling her "good luck" after I looked at my watch and saw that we were running about a 7 min/mile pace (a little too fast for me). She took off and I'm sure she finished under 40 minutes.
Mark and I ran for an hour afterwards, in the rain and cold, in the metroparks. As it was raining and cold, there were hardly any other runners out there. But we did pass a few. And today was a 3.5 hour spin in the basement - my quads were sore from the run yesterday.
All in all - a very good weekend, and each day, I'm feeling stronger and gaining some confidence about TTT in May and the ironman in July. It feels good to feel my body getting stronger - it's amazing to see what a difference a year can make.
The next race is a 5K on March 27th - the Holy Trinity 5K. Caitlin will be home from Boulder for spring break, so she'll run it with Mark and I. Should be a fun race!!
Anyway - I ended up running a total time of 40:39, my worst Malachi time ever, but I'm very happy with it. I placed 2nd in my age group out of 40 women. All of that doesn't really matter - I felt good and I'm out there. A year ago, I didn't even go to the race, as I had surgery in February to remove an infected expander (staph infection) and had another surgery scheduled for March 19th to get the expander put back in. So to stand at the start line, ready to race with about 3000 other runners, felt great. It felt good to push myself on the hills (although I still have a lot of work to do). And for part of the run, I had a nice chat with a young woman who was running a great pace and was 6 months pregnant. I ended up telling her "good luck" after I looked at my watch and saw that we were running about a 7 min/mile pace (a little too fast for me). She took off and I'm sure she finished under 40 minutes.
Mark and I ran for an hour afterwards, in the rain and cold, in the metroparks. As it was raining and cold, there were hardly any other runners out there. But we did pass a few. And today was a 3.5 hour spin in the basement - my quads were sore from the run yesterday.
All in all - a very good weekend, and each day, I'm feeling stronger and gaining some confidence about TTT in May and the ironman in July. It feels good to feel my body getting stronger - it's amazing to see what a difference a year can make.
The next race is a 5K on March 27th - the Holy Trinity 5K. Caitlin will be home from Boulder for spring break, so she'll run it with Mark and I. Should be a fun race!!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wonderful visit to Florida
Hello everyone - well, I got back yesterday from a 3+ day visit to Naples, Florida (actually, Bonita Springs). My friend, Diane, invited me down for a couple days of warmth and relaxation. Judy was supposed to go too, but unfortunately, work got in the way! But we're going to plan another visit when Judy can go.
Anyway, here is what we did for those 3 relaxing days. I left here on Sunday at about noon and drove to the airport in the cold & gloom. Within a couple hours, I landed in sunshine at the Fort Myers airport. Diane was there to meet me and we headed to our favorite place - Carabbas - for some pasta & sangria. We then headed to Diane's place, where we spent some time in the new hot tub, which was so nice, as the air was cold, but the water temp was 104! I love the hot water!! Monday, we got up early and headed out for a run. We ran 3 loops around her neighborhood - each loop was 2.4 miles so we got 7.2 miles in. We then headed off on the bikes for a 20 mile roundtrip to Vanderbilt beach. It was a little chilly out, but the sun was out so the ride was very enjoyable. We ate lunch at La Playa - a wonderful place on the beach with great food and a really nice atmosphere. When we got back to Diane's, we showered then ate some tostadas with a beer. Yum - Diane is a really good cook! We then headed to Naples to board the Naples Princess for a sunset cruise. It was really nice to relax and look at all the beautiful, huge houses along the water. And Lily Tomlin was on board. I never went up to her to say anything, but it was definitely her as we walked by at one point and heard her talking about forgetting her lines. The cruise only lasted from about 5:30 to sunset, so we were back kind of early. We then relaxed for a bit and watched "Chelsea Lately" and then crashed for the night.
Tuesday morning it was out again for another run. It was sprinkly during this run, so we did 2 loops and just made it back before it really started pouring. We decided to do some shopping and headed to Miramar outlets for the day. We then relaxed a bit and then went to get manicures/pedicures and then to the movie theatre with our flip flops on to see Avatar. All in all, a very fun time. FYI - Diane said my feet look like Barney Rubbles feet, but I think they look beautiful after my pedicure!
Wednesday and it's already time to head home. But not before another run! We did 2 loops on Wednesday and I just love running in Diane's neighborhood. The houses are beautiful and it's so nice running by the golf course with all the palm trees. Diane got me to the airport by about 11 and I was on the plane by 12:30 and home by about 4. The snow is still on the ground and it's as if I didn't leave. But it sure was relaxing while I was there. Thank you, Diane, for the invite down to visit. It was so relaxing and exactly what I needed in this gloomy winter weather. And, lo and behold, the sun shone all day today in Cleveland. Too bad I had to work all day. I wish I was out there running....
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Snow, snow, and then more snow!
Today's workout was a 2 hour spin while watching "Amelia" (not a very good movie, by the way). But while I was spinning, my sister called and said come on over and we'll go snow shoeing in her backyard. It was beautiful! Her house backs up to woods, and we snow shoed thru the freshly fallen snow with her 2 dogs. If the snow holds out, we're going to go again next Saturday.
It's amazing what my sister and I have gone thru over the past couple of years - and where we are today. When I was first diagnosed, I wondered (and worried) about what the future would be like. And here we are today, laughing while walking thru the woods (after I fell while I was trying to take pictures with my cell phone) and not having a care in the world. Life is good.
PSS - Mark - if you read this - I miss you already and you've only been gone since 7 this morning. My run tomorrow morning won't be the same without you!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Today's swim
Well, I have to say that I usually don't enjoy my swim's (coach Scott - if you read this, don't be mad...). I do enjoy swimming in the lake, which is why I enjoy swimming during races. But swimming in the pool is just so monotonous. But today's swim was actually fun! I had to do a 1500 yard time trial, so that my coach could note the time and see if I improve over the next few months. Swimming 1500 yards straight is hard, and I tried it about a week ago. After getting interrupted to share my lane, sharing with someone swimming the breast stroke, and having a foot cramp, I logged over 30 minutes for my 1500 yards (32 to be exact). Not good at all! But today - Mark decided he would do my workout with me. That made all the difference. Having someone sharing my workout just made it so much better! He did the 500 warmup with me and then swam the 1500 yard time trial. He didn't stick with me, but swam his own pace. That helped, as I could try to keep up with him and speed up a little. I ended up cutting 3 minutes off my time from last week!! Today's swim gave me some confidence that my swim times are actually improving. As I train for Ironman Lake Placid, days like today are great for confidence builders. Thank you, Mark, for helping me thru the swim today!
Another nice quote
"Sometimes all it takes is for us to stand back from ourselves for a moment so that we can see our blessings and be content"
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Nice quote about life
I read this quote today by Roger Ebert, and thought it was worth posting ...
I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do.
To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts.
We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn’t always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out.
I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do.
To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts.
We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn’t always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Race report for Valentine's Day 2010
Mark and I decided to celebrate Valentine's Day this year by getting up early (6:30 AM), driving for over an hour to the east side, and running a trail run in the beautiful North Chagrin metroparks. We both signed up for the 15K, but after crossing the 2 mile mark with a time of about 25 minutes (due to the deep snow and hills, I was just not used to this type of running!), I told Mark to go ahead & finish the 15K on his own and I would just do 1 loop. After all, we had to be in Beachwood for a team triathlon before noon, and I was seriously worried about whether I could make it or not. I have NEVER run that slow before, and underestimated the effect all that snow could have on my run. Mark said he figured out the trick - just RUN FASTER. That way, your feet aren't on the ground long enough to slip! Anyway, I finished the 5 mile loop in a little over an hour and waited for Mark with a cup of hot chocolate. Mark did pretty well once he figured out the trick to running in the snow. We didn't hang out long at all, but jumped in the car for the 15 min drive to our indoor triathlon. Our friend, Mike, was waiting for us. The team tri worked like this - Mike would swim for 15 minutes and a timer would log how far he got in that 15 min. We then had 10 min for transition, and Mark would hop on a spinner and log how far he could get in 20 min. The problem here was each rider did not have the option to change the tension on the bike. So Mark was literally "spinning" - very high cadence with no tension for 20 min. Then we had a 10 min transition, and it was my turn to run on the indoor track - as far as I could get in 20 minutes. I ended up doing 33 laps at an average pace of about 7:45 per mile. It was actually a lot of fun, and great to see Mike, his wife Marjan, and their 2 kids (Luke & Julia). We haven't seen them since the summer, so it was nice to catch up! We got home in time to get ready for our dinner at Salmon Dave's - a nice end to a really nice day! Happy Valentine's Day!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
One year ago
After I posted the info about the trail run tomorrow, I just had to say how grateful I am that I am able to do these races tomorrow! A year ago, I had just had surgery on 2/12 to have an infected expander removed. The doctor couldn't figure out how it happened, but my surgery on 10/28, in which I had the mastectomy & then an expander put in, had resulted in a severe staph infection that didn't come to peak until 3+ months later. After waking up with chills one night and running a fever of 102-103 for several days, I had to have emergency surgery on 2/12/09. So, looking back on the last year, I am so grateful that I am feeling well and able to run a 15K tomorrow. Thanks to all my friends and family for your support over the past year! And thank you, Mark, for always being there for me!
Trail run tomorrow
Tomorrow is the big trail run day (15K). I'm a little nervous, as we've had so much snow lately, the trails are bound to be VERY snow covered. Mark and I tried running on the metropark trails last weekend, and after a 12 min mile that felt like we were getting nowhere, we ended up running on the bike trails instead. So tomorrow may be very interesting.
After the trail run, which starts at 9:30, we have to hurry to get to an indoor triathlon, that we're doing with our friend, Mike Slabe. He was our original TTT partner from a few years ago (team "Serenity Now"). Mike will do the swim, Mark the bike, and then I'll do the run on the indoor track. All in all - what a FUN way to spend Valentine's Day. It will be so nice to relax when we go out to dinner later in the evening!!
After the trail run, which starts at 9:30, we have to hurry to get to an indoor triathlon, that we're doing with our friend, Mike Slabe. He was our original TTT partner from a few years ago (team "Serenity Now"). Mike will do the swim, Mark the bike, and then I'll do the run on the indoor track. All in all - what a FUN way to spend Valentine's Day. It will be so nice to relax when we go out to dinner later in the evening!!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
So far, so good....
I received a really encouraging note from my coach on Sunday. Between his uplifting emails and my husband's undying support, I think I may actually get to the finish line of the ironman in July!
I was up at 4:45 AM this morning to get an elliptical workout in. Then went to work all day, drove home thru a snowstorm, and got on the computrainer for an hour & 15 minutes. I did the computrainer again - a fun little workout of 10 x 1.72 miles (plus warmup & cooldown). It was challenging trying to beat my last lap time each time.
Tomorrow, it will be up at 5 AM to run for 45 minutes and then a swim tomorrow night. I talked my husband into meeting me there after work. It's so much easier to stick to the workouts when you have a partner!
I was up at 4:45 AM this morning to get an elliptical workout in. Then went to work all day, drove home thru a snowstorm, and got on the computrainer for an hour & 15 minutes. I did the computrainer again - a fun little workout of 10 x 1.72 miles (plus warmup & cooldown). It was challenging trying to beat my last lap time each time.
Tomorrow, it will be up at 5 AM to run for 45 minutes and then a swim tomorrow night. I talked my husband into meeting me there after work. It's so much easier to stick to the workouts when you have a partner!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Lots of snow in Cleveland
Last night, we got hit with a pretty heavy snowstorm. My coach said try to ride outside today if possible. Well, it's pretty much impossible with 6 inches of snow and drifts up to 3 feet. So I'll be on the computrainer in a little bit - as soon as I finish my pot of tea. My new computrainer is working great - last night, I did part of the Ironman Florida 70.3 course. The computrainer simulates the elevation of the course and it gets easier and harder based on the hills. Florida is pretty flat, so the ride was fairly easy, but I set it to ride against someone, and "he" kept pulling in front of me. It made it interesting until I basically said - just let him go - this isn't supposed to be a hard ride. "He" beat me by 2 tenths of a mile.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
No Rest for the Weary
I went to dictionary.com and the definition of the above is "You must keep persevering no matter how tired or overworked you are." Very good quote for someone training for an ironman.
Today, I woke up at about 4AM and couldn't fall back asleep so I got up and did the elliptical for 40 minutes. It's now 8:45 PM and I just got home from work and getting my hair cut. I'm supposed to do some weight training tonight, but I am tired. Tomorrow is another early morning, as I run every Wednesday morning at 5AM with my friend, Judy. I mean every Wednesday, year round. Well - if there's a thunder storm, we may cancel. But we've run in the rain, sleet, snow, ice, etc. So I'll be up early again tomorrow.
My training schedule for this week is pretty hard. 13.5 hours and I'm already behind by not lifting & biking tonight. But I'm sure I'll get it all in - I usually do. It's just hard at the beginning of the week with everything looming in front of me.
Today, I woke up at about 4AM and couldn't fall back asleep so I got up and did the elliptical for 40 minutes. It's now 8:45 PM and I just got home from work and getting my hair cut. I'm supposed to do some weight training tonight, but I am tired. Tomorrow is another early morning, as I run every Wednesday morning at 5AM with my friend, Judy. I mean every Wednesday, year round. Well - if there's a thunder storm, we may cancel. But we've run in the rain, sleet, snow, ice, etc. So I'll be up early again tomorrow.
My training schedule for this week is pretty hard. 13.5 hours and I'm already behind by not lifting & biking tonight. But I'm sure I'll get it all in - I usually do. It's just hard at the beginning of the week with everything looming in front of me.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Computrainer
OK - so maybe it wasn't a good idea to do my 1st computrainer workout using the Ironman Canada course. It's a tough course! I set my computrainer virtual partner up with a watts level that I thought I could maintain, and he passed me in the first few yards and I never saw him again! I ended the workout with my training partner about 5 miles in front of me. But it was fun and I'm looking forward to using this training toy in the future. Hopefully, it will whip me into shape in time for TTT (www.americantriple-t.com) which is in May. I'm competing in this race for the 3rd time with my husband, Mark, as team "For better or worse". Should be a lot of fun!!
Very cold today - but the sun is shining!!
Just got back from a 4 mile run with my very good friend, Judy (she's in the Komen race for the cure picture with me). Judy has supported me thru thick and thin the past year, walking with me when I couldn't run and just visiting with me when I couldn't even walk. It sure feels good to be back out there running again!!
Temperature was 6 degrees this morning but there's no wind and and it's sunny - actually a very beautiful day. Always a good day for a run!!
Now it's time to get on the computrainer for 2 hours. I finally figured out how to work it (with the help of my son, Kyle). So today will be the first day I use it even though it was a Christmas gift last year. I'll let you know how it goes.
Temperature was 6 degrees this morning but there's no wind and and it's sunny - actually a very beautiful day. Always a good day for a run!!
Now it's time to get on the computrainer for 2 hours. I finally figured out how to work it (with the help of my son, Kyle). So today will be the first day I use it even though it was a Christmas gift last year. I'll let you know how it goes.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
It sure is cold outside!!
Training in northeast Ohio is tough in the winter! But my husband, Mark and I got a 9.5 mile run in today - despite the cold (15 degrees), wind and icy conditions. I'm off now to have dinner at Cheesecake Factory with my friend Terri. Last year at this time, I was sick with a fever due to a severe staph infection that I didn't know I had yet. So I'm counting my blessings this year - I feel great!
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