I can tell that my enthusiasm is not quite what is was last year, since I can never think of what to write! The training is kind of wearing on me, I feel like I have been doing this forever, and the amount of effort, while hard, has been the same for a while. Of course both MarcoDiablo and Mean Mr. Ed are hurting us every week, and the weight lifting has been even yummier than last year, but the distances that we are doing have been pretty much the same for a while and I feel like I am not moving forward with the training as much as last year. Maybe I am just tired.
A few of us have been faithfully running a mid-week early am hill workout for a month or so, running pretty much the length of Riverside Drive (both ways) from the Lee bridge to Boulevard. When we started, we would see the sun rise over the City at the end of the run, now it is getting light before we get 1/2 way through. As hard as it is (and after lifting and biking Monday nights, Tuesday mornings are HARD) it has become one of my favorite things. Pain can make you silly.
I'm trying to work hard on the biking this year, not that I didn't last year, but I am trying harder this year. I am hopeful that I'll see a difference when we get outside. I am also hopeful that I'll be riding a new bike (don't say anything to Sweet Pea!) by the time we get outside. I love my bike, but she is a bit heavy and I don't need to try to hump any additional weight up the Lake Placid hills, I think its going to be hard enough. So, we'll see if or what I get and if it makes me feel fast.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
2/9/2009
Yikes, I've been feeling a bit under the weather for the past week, yuk, but it was soooo nice this weekend. February is power month, and the cycling has been cranked up a notch, I had forgotten the joys of power month from last year. Mean Mr. Ed has been cracking the whip and Marco Diablo, well, let's just say he continues to earn his name. I am not looking forward to working out tonight, knowing how it is going to hurt. Oh well, I signed up for this so I only have myself (and a few others who pushed me into the mailstorm that is IMUSA) to blame.
I still am not feeling 100%, which is annoying, and the run on Saturday was much harder than 8 miles should be. I almost puked, and I wasn't running fast or anything. Blah, blah. We swam on Sunday, I did 1 1/4 mile, KillaK and Shelley did 1.5 miles, they still finished ahead of me. Swimming remains a work in progress.
I still am not feeling 100%, which is annoying, and the run on Saturday was much harder than 8 miles should be. I almost puked, and I wasn't running fast or anything. Blah, blah. We swam on Sunday, I did 1 1/4 mile, KillaK and Shelley did 1.5 miles, they still finished ahead of me. Swimming remains a work in progress.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
1/20/2009
Today is the best day...we, as a nation, are getting new leadership and that makes me very happy. In many ways, I am terribly lucky to have been able to witness some extremely important events. Some of the events are not so great, but I have high hopes for today.
Enough of the politics.
I found out what it is like to try to work out in a freezer this past weekend. I do not recommend it. MyKaren, BlakeE and I all traveled down to Pulaski County, Virginia, to participate in a "sprint" adventure race on Saturday. I was freaking out the whole week, as the projected temperatures got colder and colder. The race was supposed to last 6 hours and include paddling, mountain biking and trekking. I had already informed my team that I was not going to do the paddle, knowing that if anyone fell in, they would be dead, with the temps in the single digits. As it turned out, the paddling was canceled anyway (whew!) due to the cold and the fact that the lake was frozen and no one could launch a canoe. We went anyway.
The race started at 7 am, and the official temperature was -3. Yup, that's negative 3. Colder than my freezer. The race would have been ok if we had started out running, not that running in sub-zero is good, but it is better than trying to bike in it. I had tried to use neoprine booties, but could not get them on, becauase of my stupid feet with their high insteps. I got some toe "warmers" and hoped for the best. They did not work as planned, and my right foot in particular was on its way to some serious frostbite. I had also gotten some baklivas for our heads and faces, but trying to breath through the little mesh mouth hole was impossible and we ended up pushing the mouth below our chins. MyKaren and I had on skiing mittens and our ski goggles, both were good choices. The first check point was about 10 miles or so away, and we ended up not making there, as one of us was going hyperthermic and we had to get back to the transition before they got into more serious trouble. I was glad, as my right toes were on their way to frostbite land, and it would not have been a good thing for me to have been out there much longer.
As it turned out, I cried when they thawed. It felt like they were being burned and stabbed at the same time. We got everyone thawed and warmer, and set out for the trekking part, which went much better. We got both trekking checkpoints with some warming breaks in between the two points, and then set out for some orienteering points, and some good old bushwhacking! The run/trek was actually fun, but still hard. We got 4 points in all, and ran/walked for about 5 hours, so it was not a complete bust.
To give some perspective, 16 teams signed up and showed up for the sprint race. 2 teams did not start race morning. 4 other teams (inlcuding us) bailed on the bike. There was also a 30-hour race, to my knowledge, they all started. Those people are the crazy ones.
Enough of the politics.
I found out what it is like to try to work out in a freezer this past weekend. I do not recommend it. MyKaren, BlakeE and I all traveled down to Pulaski County, Virginia, to participate in a "sprint" adventure race on Saturday. I was freaking out the whole week, as the projected temperatures got colder and colder. The race was supposed to last 6 hours and include paddling, mountain biking and trekking. I had already informed my team that I was not going to do the paddle, knowing that if anyone fell in, they would be dead, with the temps in the single digits. As it turned out, the paddling was canceled anyway (whew!) due to the cold and the fact that the lake was frozen and no one could launch a canoe. We went anyway.
The race started at 7 am, and the official temperature was -3. Yup, that's negative 3. Colder than my freezer. The race would have been ok if we had started out running, not that running in sub-zero is good, but it is better than trying to bike in it. I had tried to use neoprine booties, but could not get them on, becauase of my stupid feet with their high insteps. I got some toe "warmers" and hoped for the best. They did not work as planned, and my right foot in particular was on its way to some serious frostbite. I had also gotten some baklivas for our heads and faces, but trying to breath through the little mesh mouth hole was impossible and we ended up pushing the mouth below our chins. MyKaren and I had on skiing mittens and our ski goggles, both were good choices. The first check point was about 10 miles or so away, and we ended up not making there, as one of us was going hyperthermic and we had to get back to the transition before they got into more serious trouble. I was glad, as my right toes were on their way to frostbite land, and it would not have been a good thing for me to have been out there much longer.
As it turned out, I cried when they thawed. It felt like they were being burned and stabbed at the same time. We got everyone thawed and warmer, and set out for the trekking part, which went much better. We got both trekking checkpoints with some warming breaks in between the two points, and then set out for some orienteering points, and some good old bushwhacking! The run/trek was actually fun, but still hard. We got 4 points in all, and ran/walked for about 5 hours, so it was not a complete bust.
To give some perspective, 16 teams signed up and showed up for the sprint race. 2 teams did not start race morning. 4 other teams (inlcuding us) bailed on the bike. There was also a 30-hour race, to my knowledge, they all started. Those people are the crazy ones.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Tattoos and trails - 12/8/2008
Most IMFL and IMAZ finishers got tatted on Friday! It was an ink partaay! Everyone seemed happy with the results and everyone seemed to hold up under the needle just fine! I got mine on my right inside ankle, a nice M-dot outlined in black and filled with Scarlette Red! Several of us got our ankles tattooed, one got a very small one on her foot, one on the back of her ankle, and one got an original design on her bikini line. I am hopeful that my ankles will not get fat or stretched, but I guess time will tell. I love my new tattoo!
MyKAren and I and our dogs drove to Bear Creek State Park on Saturday, picking up TriSharon on the way to stay in one of the park's cabins before the Bear Creek 10 miler, held on Sunday. It was a fabulous time! It snowed a bit on Saturday night, which made the woods so pretty. We had dinner and drinks with a few other TrailGirls and slept for 10+ hours before waking to a cold race morning. The Bear Creek 10 miler is not an easy race, and the snow on the trails made it slippery but very pretty. I ran with my peeps for most of the race, just taking it easy until these two girls annoyed me to the point that I decided I had to beat them. They were making comments about how they had to beat us, and were kind of snotty about passing us on the hills, which we were walking. Anyhow, about 2 miles out, I passed them once again on a downhill and flat section and then made up my mind that I was not going to let them pass me again. When I finished I thought I was going to puke, but they did not pass me again. I never said I wasn't competitive.
MyKAren and I and our dogs drove to Bear Creek State Park on Saturday, picking up TriSharon on the way to stay in one of the park's cabins before the Bear Creek 10 miler, held on Sunday. It was a fabulous time! It snowed a bit on Saturday night, which made the woods so pretty. We had dinner and drinks with a few other TrailGirls and slept for 10+ hours before waking to a cold race morning. The Bear Creek 10 miler is not an easy race, and the snow on the trails made it slippery but very pretty. I ran with my peeps for most of the race, just taking it easy until these two girls annoyed me to the point that I decided I had to beat them. They were making comments about how they had to beat us, and were kind of snotty about passing us on the hills, which we were walking. Anyhow, about 2 miles out, I passed them once again on a downhill and flat section and then made up my mind that I was not going to let them pass me again. When I finished I thought I was going to puke, but they did not pass me again. I never said I wasn't competitive.
Monday, December 1, 2008
A New Beginning-12/1/2008
OK, the name is IMFL Adventure, but as I noted in July, I signed up for IMUSA as well. Crazy but true. Today is the beginning of a new chapter, probably more painful than IMFL, since Lake Placid is a little more hilly...well, a LOT more mountains, but calling them hills may keep me sane. Tonight indoor starts...yipee! I'm looking forward to months of sweat and pain from MeanEd and MarcoDiablo! Really, I am! I'm feeling fat and out of shape even though its only been 1 month since IMFL, so its good I am going to have a schedule and set times for workouts. I do not do well with this workout winging it.
Monday, November 17, 2008
11/17/2008 - Post race and recovery
Ok, its been 2 weeks since the race, and I am still recovering. I did manage 2 runs last week. Friday I ran about 2 1/2 miles, which was waaay harder than anticipated. Yesterday, I went for a 7 1/2 mile trail run, much nicer, but kind of slow. I feel ok today, even though my IT issue on my right leg is still not stretched out at all.
My biggest post-race issue has been that I got shingles...you know, the thing that you mostly hear that older people get? Well, let me tell you, they are a bitch, and it hurts like hell. Shingles are related to chicken pox, as the virus stays, and basically, it is a flare up of that virus, except it attacks nerves and pretty much makes your skin feel like its on fire. I got several areas of rash (only on 1 side of my torso) and ended up getting an anti-viral to take. They tend to occur when one is stressed and with a weakened immune system (pretty much common before and IM event). So, that was a painful stint; but I am glad that they didn't manifest until the day AFTER IMFL Ouch. Still have some pain, but hoping it all goes away soon.
Still have not gotten my bike from the Tri-bike transport spot; just found out that it has been in for a few days. I am still eating like a pig and that needs to stop before I gain too much weight and can't get it off again. I am taking it easy until December 1st, when training begins for IMUSA. Yes, as I said in July, I signed up for 2 before I ever did one. Good thing I loved it!
My biggest post-race issue has been that I got shingles...you know, the thing that you mostly hear that older people get? Well, let me tell you, they are a bitch, and it hurts like hell. Shingles are related to chicken pox, as the virus stays, and basically, it is a flare up of that virus, except it attacks nerves and pretty much makes your skin feel like its on fire. I got several areas of rash (only on 1 side of my torso) and ended up getting an anti-viral to take. They tend to occur when one is stressed and with a weakened immune system (pretty much common before and IM event). So, that was a painful stint; but I am glad that they didn't manifest until the day AFTER IMFL Ouch. Still have some pain, but hoping it all goes away soon.
Still have not gotten my bike from the Tri-bike transport spot; just found out that it has been in for a few days. I am still eating like a pig and that needs to stop before I gain too much weight and can't get it off again. I am taking it easy until December 1st, when training begins for IMUSA. Yes, as I said in July, I signed up for 2 before I ever did one. Good thing I loved it!
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Final Act - the Run!
As we left the changing tent for the run, we both felt great and were very giddy, knowing that we had given ourselves a lot of time to finish! We ran out onto the course and saw our super-Sherpas around 3/4 of a mile into the run. Everyone was cheering and as happy to see us as we were to see them! The day was so perfect, it wasn't even really hot on the run! We had a plan to run between water stops and for much of the first leg, we were able to do that! We just ran fairly slow but kept going. The water stops were really funny: the Girl zone with their skimpy outfits and George of the Jungle stand out as memorable. Everyone was sooo nice and encouraging, the spectators, the participants, the volunteers were all super supportive! Around mile 3, we passed Steve who said that Som was about 45 minutes ahead of us. As we approached the state park, Patty passed us coming out, and she looked strong and very focused. Since we had ridden our bikes into the park, we knew how far we had to go, so that part of it wasn't as bad as we had thought. I did wonder how the next lap would go, since we passed by a sign that warned of alligators! It was shortly after leaving the park that I began to have some stomach issues and began to want to walk/run. We saw Kate O in the park and Kate G about a mile later and gave both of them big smiles and thumbs up!
Sharon looked very strong and was obviously having a really good day, and I finally broke about mile 9 and told her that I was going to need to run/walk, but that she should keep going. It was very hard for both of us, since we really wanted to do this together, but we had talked about it and we knew that we needed to part ways. Sharon ran off, and I walked some and it was sad for us, but I knew it was the right thing to do; Sharon looked VERY strong and I wanted her to keep up her great pace. I passed Charlotte about mile 10, looking very determined and positive and gave her a hug of encouragement! I passed the super-Sherpas and trudged on to the turn-around! I had thought it would be difficult to turn away from the finish, but much to my surprize, it wasn't all that hard: I knew I wasn't done yet.
I grabbed my gus out of my Special bag, and kept going. Sharon and I realized early in the run that we didn't need or want our fuel belts, as we didn't drink anything from our bottles, but we did need a place to stash our gus. I came up with the brilliant idea of taking my gu pouch off of my fuel belt and putting it on my race number belt! See, even in an exhausted state, I could still think! I "accidently" dropped my fuel belt at the Sherpa station and MyKaren walked with me to the turn. I made up my mind that I was going to run some portion of every darn mile, and that kept me going and focused.
The 2nd lap was still fun, and different, since now it was dark. Some highlights were: the two guys near the park entrance, one of whom ended up dressed pretty much in only his skivvies, which looked like underroos dancing around and spanking himself; saying to the people at the park turn around "Guess what? I'm going to be an IronMan!"; seeing Sharon, KateO, KateG and Charlotte as I made my way through the final lap; the volunteers who were so helpful as i stumbled past calling for cola (pretty much all I drank); the very kind young cheerleader who gave me a Reesee's peanut butter cup in the park; a woman named Jackie from Chicago who walked/ran with me for a couple of miles; and, Molly who walked with me for some of the last mile. As I rounded the corner to the final stretch, I had decided I was going to run, so I did.
I ran down the street toward the finish line and heard the announcer calling names at the finish. My feet hurt soo bad, I thought my big toe on my right foot was going to explode from the blister, but I kept going. Reaching the finish chute was probably the best feeling in the world, and I cannot remember being as happy as that moment. I think I may have jumped around a little, but cannot be sure! I heard the announcer say my name, my hometown and that I was an IronMan, and then I was across and it was DONE! Later today; post race!
Sharon looked very strong and was obviously having a really good day, and I finally broke about mile 9 and told her that I was going to need to run/walk, but that she should keep going. It was very hard for both of us, since we really wanted to do this together, but we had talked about it and we knew that we needed to part ways. Sharon ran off, and I walked some and it was sad for us, but I knew it was the right thing to do; Sharon looked VERY strong and I wanted her to keep up her great pace. I passed Charlotte about mile 10, looking very determined and positive and gave her a hug of encouragement! I passed the super-Sherpas and trudged on to the turn-around! I had thought it would be difficult to turn away from the finish, but much to my surprize, it wasn't all that hard: I knew I wasn't done yet.
I grabbed my gus out of my Special bag, and kept going. Sharon and I realized early in the run that we didn't need or want our fuel belts, as we didn't drink anything from our bottles, but we did need a place to stash our gus. I came up with the brilliant idea of taking my gu pouch off of my fuel belt and putting it on my race number belt! See, even in an exhausted state, I could still think! I "accidently" dropped my fuel belt at the Sherpa station and MyKaren walked with me to the turn. I made up my mind that I was going to run some portion of every darn mile, and that kept me going and focused.
The 2nd lap was still fun, and different, since now it was dark. Some highlights were: the two guys near the park entrance, one of whom ended up dressed pretty much in only his skivvies, which looked like underroos dancing around and spanking himself; saying to the people at the park turn around "Guess what? I'm going to be an IronMan!"; seeing Sharon, KateO, KateG and Charlotte as I made my way through the final lap; the volunteers who were so helpful as i stumbled past calling for cola (pretty much all I drank); the very kind young cheerleader who gave me a Reesee's peanut butter cup in the park; a woman named Jackie from Chicago who walked/ran with me for a couple of miles; and, Molly who walked with me for some of the last mile. As I rounded the corner to the final stretch, I had decided I was going to run, so I did.
I ran down the street toward the finish line and heard the announcer calling names at the finish. My feet hurt soo bad, I thought my big toe on my right foot was going to explode from the blister, but I kept going. Reaching the finish chute was probably the best feeling in the world, and I cannot remember being as happy as that moment. I think I may have jumped around a little, but cannot be sure! I heard the announcer say my name, my hometown and that I was an IronMan, and then I was across and it was DONE! Later today; post race!
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