The Lazy Marathoner

Panic Attacks

2012-01-26T21:03:00.000-05:00

I printed an article from the Washington Post back in November, titled "Death in triathlons may not be so mysterious; panic attacks may be to blame," and have been carrying it around since, but just finally read it today (my inability to get things done is a whole other post...). Most of you likely read it, but it struck a cord so deeply within me that I still wanted to talk about it.

When I started this sport in 2008, I had never swam a lap or taken a swim lesson in my 33 years of life. And it terrified me. I wasn't afraid of water, and in fact loved playing in the ocean and being in pools. But that's a far cry from donning a wetsuit and swimming in the Hudson River with a few hundred friends, which is what I was signed up to do about two months from my first swim lesson. I worked so hard to be prepared and felt I had nailed it, but at my first race, a small local sprint I signed up for last-minute as a practice, I panicked on the swim and ended up backstroking the entire thing. I was ok in the warm-up, and ok treading at the start, but when the gun went off I couldn't breathe, I felt like the air had been pulled from my lungs. I spent the entire .25 miles swim flipping back-and-forth onto my back. I was never more relieved to see land.

I know I was not alone in that reaction and this article shows the issue is perhaps bigger than we thought, particularly as the sport gains popularity. It's a reminder that we compete in a sport with risks that require a real dedication to preparation.

I joke a lot about not training for my Ironman swims, but I'm referring to my lack of commitment to improving my times. I don't log enough volume to improve, but I do enough training to be able to safely and comfortably complete the swim. I may be in the lower tier of my age group but I'm fine with that. But I would never advocate doing a triathlon with inadequate swim training. My sister competed in her first triathlon last season and I was right there with her. I remember looking over at the start as I was nearing the end of my swim and seeing her wave start. Suddenly I was worried and I spent the entire bike scanning the sea of women on bikes looking for her. Turns out she rocked the swim because she worked hard and prepared, but my irrational worry goes to show just how important it is to be ready.

Sometimes I don't feel like that same person who got into the pool on a rainy day that May and started this journey. But I'm so glad I did it, and I'm saddened for the families of last year's victims. As advocates of this sport, we can help new athletes prepare and hopefully make it safer for everyone.

Another Reason to Stay Active

2012-01-25T20:38:00.005-05:00

If you're reading this you're most likely active in some way or hoping to be. There are many different things that compel us to be active, but something most of us have in common is that we love it. Sure, we also love to complain about it at times and certainly don't always feel like doing it, but something keeps us going.

As if we don't already have enough reasons to stay active, my coach shared this incredible study showing the difference between the quadriceps of a 70-year old triathlete and a 74-year old sedentary man.

Source and Full Text

Which leg do you want to have at 70?

Apps for Goals

2012-01-22T17:40:00.000-05:00

I recently posted my 2012 goals, most of which rely on my own accountability for progress, but I've also found a couple iPhone apps to be incredibly helpful and wanted to share.

My "Less Sugar Better Eating" Goal + My "Drink More Water Goal"

I've been using the Livestrong app for about a year now to learn portion sizes, understand the calories I take in vs. expend through training, and make better choices. The database is extensive so it's easy to find most of the foods you eat. A recent update added the ability to track water consumed as well, so it's now supporting two of my goals.

An added bonus is a progress tracker that charts weight gain and loss. This is what January has looked like for me so far, a 7.2 pound overall loss.

My "Sleep More" Goal

I love sleep, possibly more than anything else in life. When I'm not getting it I feel horrible overall, so the push to sleep more consistently has been a good one, albeit challenging. I started using the Sleep Cycle app this week, which is a unique alarm app that wakes you when you're most prepared to wake up vs. at a specific time. You sleep with the phone in your bed and it detects movement, thus knowing when you are in a deep sleep cycle. It will wake you in a 30-minute window of your set time, so if you set the alarm for 7am, but have been stirring a bit at 6:30, it may start waking you gradually earlier. It also charts your sleep and shows an average over time. I'm a data geek so I just love this.

Now if only I could find an app that makes me love trainer rides and swimming. I'll have to call Apple and request that.

Do you have tricks or tools to help keep you on track?
What are your favorite training and fitness apps?

Starting From Nothing

2012-01-17T20:44:00.002-05:00

Even though I'm no stranger to injuries and setbacks I remain amazed by the feeling of starting over and fighting your way back to the fitness you once had. My last significant athletic achievement was covering 140.6 miles at Ironman Wisconsin, yet four months later I can't compete in a 5K. Despite the frustration that comes with injury, the little victories in the comeback become incredibly rewarding milestones. Tonight I managed to run 4.02 miles in 40 minutes and was nearly reduced to tears of joy. A run like this was a warm-up a few months ago, but today it was a huge accomplishment. I would prefer to do without the pain, disappointment and frustration of injuries but I'm also thankful for the fresh perspective. I think in the end it will make me more forgiving of my body, my limitations and my potential.

Week two wrapped up on Sunday and I'm pleased with the progress. I had two minor issues - a very late night at work forcing a missed bike test and a strange, sharp bicep pain forcing a short swimming hiatus (oh darn...). Here are the numbers:

Swim - 3,500 yards, 1:30:00 (2 workouts)
Bike - 50.08 miles, 3:15:00 (3 workouts)
Run - 9.97 miles, 1:40:00 (3 workouts)
Strength - 30:00 (1 workout)

This week has its own challenges, but to quote Jordan Rapp,"Adversity is one of those things that truly implants a memory in our brain... You do an Ironman because you want to reach the stars. And you want to do it the hard way. Because that is what makes it special."

Culinary Genius

2012-01-15T15:59:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite parts of training less is actually having time to cook. My kitchen resembles the galley in first class, yet I've managed to make some magic in there over the years. Last weekend we had a friend over for Sunday night dinner and I did my signature roasted chicken with assorted roasted root vegetables.

As I gathered up the bones and leftovers it occurred to me I've never made my own stock before. So I loaded the carcass into a pot along with tons of chopped vegetables and herbs and nine hours later I had the richest, most incredibly flavored chicken stock I have ever tasted.

Only my planning was a bit off so I had to wake up at 3am to strain the broth and freeze it before waking up at 6am to swim. I was a little tired that day.

Last night I made a butternut squash soup with ginger and coconut milk. It was truly unbelievable and thankfully made enough to feed an army. I have some stashed in the freezer for a rainy day.

Then today I made vegetable stock since I have tons of vegetables on hand and seem to be inspired. It only has to simmer for an hour so it's less work than an animal-based stock, but still quite delicious. I now have 10 cups of stock in the freezer. Time to make some soup.

On the training front, all is going well and steadily improving. I've only suffered one small setback - shoulder soreness from my return to swimming. Unfortunately the pain was so acute I could barely lift my arm so I'm taking a week off from the pool to let the inflammation die down. Oh darn, we all know how much I love to swim.

I've also been doing my strength work consistently and have to admit, the soreness is pretty humbling. I may be able to propel my body 140.6 miles in a day, but I barely have the muscle power to lift my cat. I know the merits of strength training are widely debated amongst triathletes, but for me personally I feel I need more of it.

Week One: Not a Bad Start

2012-01-09T18:23:00.004-05:00

Sunday wrapped up my first week of training for the 2012 season and overall, it was a decent start. Here's what I accomplished:

Swim - 3,400 yards, 1:20:00 (2 workouts)
Bike - 52.59 miles, 3:27:45 (2 rides, 1 short trainer session)
Run - 8.34 miles, 1:31:00 (3 baby-steps workouts)

I skipped strength training since I was doing a juice cleanse and had only so much energy, but otherwise stuck to the schedule and didn't play my usual game of shuffling things around to suit my mood or how many times I hit the snooze button. It doesn't look like much, but I've learned the hard way that nothing good comes of going from zero to hero so I'll be patient.

*TMI Warning*

I'm only sharing this because (A) It's an issue almost all cyclists/triathletes face, and (B) It can seriously ruin your training...

This week I also conquered something that has plagued me for over a year - the dreaded saddle sore. I battled it the entire 2011 season and it was in fact a carryover from the 2010 season that had subsided briefly during the offseason. But when this offseason came and I still had it with little-to-no biking, I finally sought medical treatment. A culture revealed a strep infection resistant to topical antibiotics so I was prescribed a hefty, three-week course of oral antibiotics. After two weeks it is finally gone. I pray it never comes back. If you're struggling with a saddle sore and typical treatments aren't helping, see a doctor. I wish I had a year ago.

*TMI over, carry on*

New Season, New Goals

2012-01-07T09:13:00.003-05:00

I don't make resolutions. Resolutions are born from excess holiday gluttony and unrealistic hope that this year will finally be THE year you lose that 20 pounds, get washboard abs or ride your bicycle across the country in record time. But all too often, these lofty dreams are dead by March and it's just another year like the last one.

However, I do set new goals for each new training season, and my 2012 season just happened to begin on January 3. I had to be somewhat conservative with performance goals given my history of chronic plantar fasciitis and the latest setback post-Ironman, but have many areas to improve regarding general health and training efficiency. To make myself more accountable, here are my 2012 goals:

Cut the Sugar. Sugar is my diet nemesis and leads to all manner of unhealthy eating and generally makes me feel awful. I'm going to aim for the 90/10 rule and try to avoid it as much and as often as possible. I've done this before successfully so I know how to do it. I just have to do it.
Drink More Water. Somehow my laziness has trickled over to my approach to hydration and I'm always at a deficit. Want to feel and look better almost instantly? Drink more water. Easy enough, right?
Reduce Coffee Intake. I cried a little as I wrote this, but the four-coffees-a-day habit I acquired after my month of European travel left me feeling pretty toxic. I'd like to have no more than two per day, that seems reasonable.
Actually Swim When I Swim. I swim like a rock when solo in the lane, but when forced to circle, I can suddenly move through the water. I'm lazy, I know it, but if I'm going to drag myself to the pool I'd like to actually get something out of it so I vow to put real effort into my swim workouts this season (which is a notch up from not even doing my swim workouts last season).
Train With Purpose. I tend to slip into auto-pilot during bike and run workouts as well so my goal is to maximize every minute I spend training. No more mindless trainer spinning while watching back-to-back episodes of Pawn Stars. I'm busy and can barely find the time to train so I want to make it count.
Sleep. This is the hardest goal and I hesitate to set it, but I know I can't recover and be my best without more sleep. I'm trying to figure out how to be more efficient with my time so I can sleep at least seven hours a night... for now. When the 4am wake-ups start it will be difficult.

I've already made some progress. I didn't blow off either swim workout this week and actually put effort into it and I just finished my annual New Year's cleanse, which should have me weaned off sugar and caffeine for awhile.

Do you make resolutions or set goals? What are yours for this year?

In closing I leave you with this incredible guide to navigating the gym, written especially for the resolutionists. Here's to a great 2012 season!

Starting Over. Again.

2011-12-28T10:06:00.001-05:00

It would be great to reach the end of an offseason and not be grossly out of shape, but the events of the last few months have once again left me this way. It's ok though, because after last season's burnout and my repeat PF injury I needed a break.

But that break is now over. On a chilly Christmas morning I laced up my shoes and headed out for my first run since early October. I walked 10 frigid minutes to warm up, then ran one minute and walked one minute, repeating five times. I ran five full minutes without foot pain, tightness or discomfort and felt overjoyed. It was the best Christmas gift I could have wished for.

The next day I got back into the pool for my first swim since Ironman Wisconsin. My suit barely fit and I wasn't sure I could even remember how to swim, but after a few awkward laps it started to come around and though I resembled a fish flopping around just prior to death, it really wasn't that bad. I may never love swimming, but after a three month break I at least don't detest it anymore.

Yesterday I ran again, this time for eight minutes. Once again it was successful, but I'll save the champagne for later since PF issues tend to creep up when you least expect it. So far so good though.

I have a pretty challenging road ahead but am really looking forward to it. The upcoming year will be busy with work and travel, and given the PF problems I'll be focusing more on cycling than running/triathlons, but I'm optimistic that 2012 will be a really good year.

Where in the World is...

2011-12-21T10:31:00.002-05:00

My posting has been spotty at best this year, but I've never gone this long in between and there is good reason. I've pretty much been gone since November 2nd. Here's where I've been:

Nov 2-9: Vacation in London with friends
Nov 16-17: Drove my cat Otis to DC to live with my sister temporarily
Nov 18-27: Vacation in the Piedmont region of Italy with my boyfriend Mark
Nov 27-28: Short solo jaunt to Rome before heading back to London
Nov 29-Dec 8: Two different business trips to London
Dec 10-12: Back to DC to bring Otis home
Dec 16-18: Fun weekend in San Francisco with Mark

I can't tell you how many times I logged on and tried to post a little something but I either had no connection or was too busy and tired. The time zipped by so quickly and has left me in a horribly jet lagged haze. My body is beyond confused. But the personal parts of the travel were incredibly fun and I may someday post a few pics if I can catch up on life.

I have two suitcases and an overnight bag partially unpacked lying around my apartment, but it's time to pack up once again for a trip home for the holidays on Friday. I plan to sleep, eat and wear pajamas as much as possible all week. And maybe throw in a swim or jog here or there.

On that front, I'm ashamed to say I haven't swam a single stroke since Ironman Wisconsin. I just couldn't bear the thought of it and given how burned out I was last season I decided to just skip it for awhile. I was never a good swimmer anyway and it's not like I'll forget how. I haven't been able to run since the race with the exception of the Army 10 Miler on October 9. That was the last time I laced up my shoes and gave it a try. I've suffered from severe plantar fasciitis once again and now have achilles tendonitis issues to add to the mix. Just when I think it's improving I have a setback so I'm really being cautious. If all goes well the next several days I'll try a very easy, short jog. At least I can earn a few extra Christmas cookies.

Happy Holidays!

Ironman Wisconsin: Bike

2011-10-29T11:41:00.000-04:00

"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." - Lance Armstrong

Most of us spend the majority of our day on the bike during Ironman. Even with cycling ranking as my favorite of the three sports, the bike is daunting. It's not necessarily the distance or time, but rather the nagging fear that mistakes or bad luck on the bike can lead to a miserable run or DNF. I truly enjoy the hours and hours spent biking in an Ironman, but breathe a huge sigh of relief when I reach a point I know I could walk if my bike were to absolutely fail me.

The Ironman Wisconsin bike course is one of my favorite rides. It's technical and hilly, isolated at times and packed with crowds at other times. The rolling hills and multiple turns keep your mind sharp and make the time go by more quickly. But they also sap your energy so you're likely to hit a lull at some point during the 112 miles.

I started out feeling great and the weather was nearly perfect. There was a change near the beginning of the course that added another small climb and what would end up being an extra mile... as if 112 weren't enough. But it wasn't that bad. The "stick" portion of the course leading out to the loop always feels like a long set-up to me, which makes that section fly by in what seems like minutes. I saw a few friends along the way which always helps. Even just minutes of chatting can be a boost. I reached the start of the loop in Verona in just under an hour, which was pretty fast for me. I wasn't trying to push, but was averaging around 18mph comfortably.

I don't approach the IMWI ride with a "first loop really easy" mentality. Instead I have an HR guideline and try stick to it. Since I know the course well, I know how to prepare for surprises, like a steep climb immediately after a turn. I use descents to my advantage when possible, but even with as much climbing as there is on this course the long, relaxing downhills are few and far between.

People always say you'll hate yourself at Mile 90 but my hate miles usually come sooner and have passed by Mile 90. Overall I was feeling pretty amazing and was pleasantly surprised. My long bike training was not what it should have been and I didn't have near the cycling fitness I had last season. But all was going well. The only time I stop during the bike is for a minute or so at special needs to reapply sunscreen and chamois cream and grab another gel flask. I made the quick stop and started the second loop, and that's when I began fading a bit. I also started to feel incredibly bloated and was worried about GI issues. In addition to the bloating I was nauseated so nothing sat well in my stomach. Several times after a sip of sports drink or a mouthful of gel, it came right back up after swallowing. Great. I tried not to let it get to me and powered through, forcing the nutrition down. I knew if I didn't I'd pay for it later with a miserable run. I rode nearly 30 miles like this and around the time I hit the 3 big hills on the second loop, right around Mile 90, I finally started to feel better. After that it was fantastic, thankfully.

My second loop was only slightly slower than the first and my ride back on the stick felt great. I wasn't going to meet my goal time of 7 hours and I was ok with that. I did the bike in just over 6:30 last year, but my bike training was beyond consistent then. I thought of all the training challenges and missed rides and just felt thankful to be there, finishing the bike feeling strong. I tried to file away all the experiences and moments I didn't want to forget, like the funny signs on one of the climbs - "Worst Parade Ever," and "Never Trust a Fart." The guys in speedos and ridiculous costumes who ran up the hills alongside us. Seeing my family and managing to get in a quick high five with my dad. I realized at one point early on the course that my face hurt from smiling. Even when no one was around I'd find myself smiling. I really loved this ride.

Time: 7:08:03

Making Time

2011-10-02T17:30:00.005-04:00

Three weeks ago right now, I was somewhere in the first few miles of the Ironman Wisconsin marathon. After an incredible race I was looking forward to some much-needed rest. My coach put me on an unstructured schedule and encouraged me to do whatever I felt like - if anything. One thing was certain, my plantar fasciitis was near its worst and an extended break from running was mandatory. And despite how much I just love the pool (sarcasm) I would have done some swimming were it not for a minor surgical procedure on my toe (too disgusting for this blog). So the result was a three-week period of complete rest aside from one short bike ride two weeks ago that involved a lobster roll...

Connecticut Style From Red Hook Lobster Pound Truck

... and ice cream sandwich...

Snickerdoodles With Nutella Toasted Almond Ice Cream from Coolhaus Truck

... and a beautiful fall ride this morning that didn't involve a food break.

I really haven't missed the training, but have finally started yearning to be active. I thought I'd have heaps of free time to catch up on all those photos I never posted, write my race report, get my apartment in order, visit with friends I haven't seen for months. But what I discovered is that I'm just as busy now as I was before Ironman and it made me think a lot about the question I get asked the most: "How do you have the time for all that training?" I realized the answer is that I don't have it. You most likely don't have it. Almost nobody truly has it. The answer is that I make time for it. I squeeze it into the dark, early morning hours or late, lonely nights that bookend my already crazy-busy day.

That realization made me appreciate this sport that much more. At the end of the day it's just my hobby, but it's one that is truly satisfying and full of reward. It also made me appreciate this precious time that is the offseason. I plan to enjoy it fully.

In the spirit of applying some in-season discipline I will make my race report a top priority over the next week. I have the bike section half drafted and need to finish capturing the thoughts before too much time has passed. I'm also going to peel myself from the couch and get back to being active, but only for the pleasure of feeling my heart beat and working up a sweat. There will be no training going on here for a few months.

Ironman Wisconsin: Pre-Race and Swim

2011-09-17T22:19:00.021-04:00

"Someday my body will not be able to do this. Today is not that day." - Unknown

Race Week

Race week in Madison is always a good time. I stay with my family just blocks from the athlete's village and always have friends racing or volunteering. I arrived Wednesday afternoon and spent time with my mom. At dinner my good friends Laura and Chris, also racing, joined us and then spent the night. Laura and I were gabbing until midnight while Chris wished we'd run out of things to talk about (Chris: it will never happen). There was a lot of excitement in the air.

I spent the next few days checking in and doing small workouts. I invited fellow blogger Kevin to join us for a practice swim Thursday, the lake was literally perfect.

I was feeling a little over stimulated and run down and wanted to keep all under control. I developed an infection on the toe of my already bad foot, the plantar fascias were hanging on by threads and I started feeling under the weather Friday after the athlete's dinner. I went to bed at 10 and slept until 8, missing the next group swim. I felt awful. I was feverish. I started thinking how hard it would be to race 140.6 miles while sick. I pushed it as far into the back of my mind as I could and hoped for the best.

I spent Saturday with my family laying low, resting and packing and checking everything in. I was out of sorts but excited. It felt like an incredible gift to be getting ready for my fourth
Ironman.

Dinner was so ridiculously early we arrived before the restaurant even opened! I was wearing a fashionable ensemble consisting of a sundress and compression tights. I was battling inflammation and not willing to sacrifice svelte ankles for fashion. Luckily most of the other folks dining at 5pm were also with an athlete and totally understood. Anyone else likely thought I had incredibly bad taste in leggings.

I was ready for bed at 8:30 and asleep by 9:30, by far the earliest ever before a race. I went to sleep unsettled, praying I'd wake up feeling better. A friend said at the athlete's dinner that some days you wake up more fit than others. I really wanted Sunday to be a fit day.

Race Morning

I was up promptly at 3:30am. I'm amazed how I shoot out of bed like a rocket on Ironman morning without even a lingering thought of hitting the snooze button. I ate breakfast within 10 minutes of waking - whole wheat English muffin with cashew butter, one banana and a cup of coffee. I have struggled with getting food down this early in the a.m., but on Sunday it worked. I ate everything and drank two large glasses of water. I mixed up my Gatorade bottles - two for the bike and one to drink throughout the morning before the start. Just before 5am we left for transition. My whole family walked with me this time, hoping for a better swim start viewing spot. Walking to the race with them in the dark was wonderful. I was surprisingly nervous and needed all the support and distraction I could get.

I ran into Laura on my way to my bike. We had arranged to wear special US tops for the anniversary of September 11. I was so happy to see her, she immediately eased my nerves.

I spent a little time in Monona Terrace, the location of the transition changing areas (everything is indoors at Ironman Wisconsin) before heading down to the start to find my family. I wanted to spend some time with them before getting into the water.

I got suited up, said my goodbyes and headed toward the water. They announced a moment of silence to honor the victims of 9-11 just as I neared the water. I was so overwhelmed with emotion. This day meant so much to me. While the national anthem was sung, I stepped into the water and started my Ironman journey.

Swim

I found a solid start position about 2/3 of the way over from the buoy line and about 6 swimmers back. I was taking a bit of contact during the treading and thought I was in for another brutal WI swim. But when the cannon went off and U2's "Perfect Day" filled the air, all went smoother than I expected. I had no panic whatsoever, minimal contact and relatively clear water. Sure there were people all around, but the contact was normal, not violent. It only got better. Even the turns were better this year. On the back side of the first loop I heard the fighter jets take off for the 9-11 flyover, but didn't see them. I knew it was roughly 7:30. I was doing pretty well.

I started the second loop still feeling great and thought, "I have to do that again?!" The first stretch felt long and included my only rough contact. I breathe only on my left and a guy swimming on my left punched me hard in my right cheek as I turned to breathe. It was a big impact, I had to stop and get my bearings before moving on. But the rest was uneventful. The most memorable moment happened on the back side of the second loop. The fighter jets I had heard earlier flew over Lake Monona, so low I felt I could reach out and touch them. I stopped and watched as they flew over hundreds of people swimming in the lake and hundreds more on the shore and the terrace. It was a sight I will never forget.

I didn't wear a watch in the swim because I didn't want to feel bad if my time on the first loop was disgraceful. I only swam 60,000 yards in training and I'm a weak swimmer in general, so my expectations were humble. I was aiming for a 1:45 or less and mostly wanted to feel good when I stepped out of the water. And it turned out that I felt amazing coming out of the water, especially when I saw my family. I was so overjoyed I didn't bother to look at the clock. I later found out I swam just two minutes slower than last year, which was far better than expected. I also felt the best I've ever felt coming out of an Ironman swim. The day was a fit day so far.

Time: 1:38:41

I Suck at Race Reports

2011-09-17T09:43:00.003-04:00

In 2009, I wrote an epic race report after my Ironman Wisconsin journey that captured the day so beautifully and evoked more than a few tears, particularly when I documented my ill-fated "run" with a torn PF. I did another decent 3-part report for Ironman Lake Placid in 2010. But after setting a huge PR just 7 weeks later at Ironman Wisconsin 2010, I failed to do a report. I think I just forgot and every time I remembered it slipped my mind. It was by far my best day ever racing and I never put it on paper. I thought about doing it before the race this year but didn't have the time.

I also have a half-draft of my Escape From Alcatraz report from June. That's sad. So my realization is that I absolutely suck at writing race reports. I think they are good when I actually do them, but for some reason I have a hard time getting started.

I'm going to start my Wisconsin report this weekend with a goal of having it up by next week. And maybe when I'm done I'll finish Alcatraz and do a retrospective look at IMWI 2010. It was a race worth remembering and would be nice to reflect on.

In the meantime, I'll enjoy reading the reports of those who don't slack and wait so long people forgot you actually raced.

Short and Sweet - Fourth Ironman Finish

2011-09-12T23:42:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was a really incredible day on the 2011 Ironman Wisconsin course. I finished my fourth Ironman in 24 months and loved every (painful) moment of it. Ironman is really hard, but nothing could make you feel more alive. It wasn't my best race from a time standpoint, but having to fight so hard for the finish made it so meaningful.

More details to come, but in the meantime, once again... I am an Ironman. And for that I am incredibly grateful.

Ironman Wisconsin: Go Time!

2011-09-10T09:46:00.007-04:00

As always, race week has flown by and I'm now less than 24 hours from the start of my fourth Ironman. I've really enjoyed the time here in Madison and am looking forward to a great day tomorrow.

For anyone interested in tracking me on Sunday I'll be racing under number 517.

In honor of the 10th anniversary of September 11, I'll be wearing this race top all day on the course.

I have no doubt it will be a very emotional and significant day for me. A young firefighter racing IMWI spoke at the athlete's dinner last night. He said to ask ourselves on race morning what this day means to us and to carry the emotions of the day into the other parts of our lives. He'll be doing the marathon in his full firefighting gear. I can't wait to see him out there.

The week has been filled with activities and friends, all feeling like a celebration of what we've accomplished thus far. Just being here in Madison to start the race is a gift, regardless of the outcome.

I had the opportunity to meet up and swim with fellow blogger Kevin, racing his first Ironman and no doubt kicking some serious ass out there. Be sure to cheer him on as well.

See you on the other side, hopefully as a four-time Ironman!

Third Time's a Charm!

2011-09-05T11:29:00.005-04:00

Those of us racing Ironman Wisconsin have reached that critical one week out point. All day yesterday I kept thinking, "where will I be at this time?" I had my final longer workout of a 45 mile ride with a 6 mile brick run and when I started the run I realized it was just about the time I'd be starting the marathon in 7 days. I certainly didn't feel like I had a marathon in me yesterday, but that's the magic of Ironman. Somehow I will have it in me when Sunday rolls around.

My cheering crew will be wearing this fun shirt:

It's my fourth Ironman, but my third time on the Wisconsin course. This race will always hold a special place in my heart.

So, how am I feeling? Definitely a little under-prepared, but essentially ready given the circumstances. My running took a positive turn over the past two weeks so if my feet hold up and I nail my bike nutrition, I may still be able to pull off a decent run this Sunday.

But I'm not placing any pressure on goals this time around. I have a race plan and will stick to the plan, but it's not about setting PRs or hitting time goals. It's about my approach, my nutrition and my attitude. For each segment of the race I have guessed a finish time, but really don't care about the number. A good friend has a quote on her training log: "You get what you train for." I trained for an Ironman for sure, but could have done better. But this is my third season of long course and my fourth Ironman, so that might count for something. My fitness is deeper even if it hasn't been my best season and I know the course, know what it feels like to be 130 miles into 140.6 and as my coach always says, I race a lot better than I train.

Sunday will be a celebration. It will be a poignant and memorable way for me to reflect on the past 10 years and the anniversary of September 11. Ironman after all is a celebration of life, of tackling challenges and overcoming them.

Jordan Rapp, in his recent speech after winning Ironman Canada said it best:

"Ironman is the sort of momentous – but terrestrial – experience that allows us, ever so briefly, to get close enough to the stars to reach out and touch the heavens... You do an Ironman because you want to reach the stars. And you want to do it the hard way. Because that is what makes it special."

Come on Irene

2011-08-26T22:27:00.002-04:00

I can't seem to catch a break this season. Let's see, I had the treacherous winter that led to a slip on the ice groin pull, full on GI shut down during the monsoon that was the LA Marathon (fondly referred to as the Hell-A Marathon), extended marathon recovery that led to 8 pounds weight gain, slow start to the season due to work/travel, more work/travel followed by a deep chest cold and tear gassing, a lovely bout with the stomach flu... for 12 days, finally getting back in the saddle only to be constantly derailed by weather, generally in the form of rain. And that leads me to the present.

This is my final build week. The last long training sessions before the big day on September 11. I'd had a pretty remarkable week until today, nailing a long ride Monday, two solid rides Tuesday, my best long run yet Wednesday, and a decent recovery ride yesterday. We had plans to drive to Lake Placid today where I'd do my final long ride tomorrow and head back on Sunday. Only Hurricane Irene decide to mess with our plans. Early this morning over coffee and English muffins we decided it wasn't wise to leave town today and risk not getting back safely on Sunday, or even Monday.

The forecast starting late tonight is all rain all the time so I had to head out and attempt my final long ride today. Totally unprepared. I felt ok, but 9 miles in I realized I wasn't. I was weak, dizzy, loopy, not really all there. A 3% grade felt like 20% and I was exhausted. I really needed another day to rest, to recharge, and most importantly, to mentally prepare. Being thrown into this with no thought was not going to work. I texted my good friend Laura, who is also doing IMWI, Mark, and my coach, and waited for permission to quit. Laura's reply came quickly and I found myself standing in Riverside Park in Manhattan in tears. I wasn't necessarily upset, I was just so utterly exhausted. Mark told me to be safe and my coach told me to pull the plug. So I continued over the GW Bridge into New Jersey and did a very short 30 mile ride that included several pauses, a muffin and a coffee. I felt so flat at times it was as if I were floating on someone else's bike. But I still enjoyed being out in the sun, on a beautiful day, enjoying the last of the summer. I logged 60 very slow miles instead of the 100 I was aiming for.

Upon arriving home I was bombarded with news of evacuations and Irene preparedness plans. It occurred to me that I might not be taking the situation seriously so I went to the market and stocked up on non-perishables. Mark suggested I pack up myself and Otis and spend the weekend at his place and I decided it was a good idea. I live near the water and am therefore on the border of zone B, which is unlikely to evacuate, but means the storm will be worse here. He's further inland in a larger, more stable building, so Otis and I can tuck in for the weekend and ride out the storm.

So my final build has been cut short, but it's far beyond my control. I'm going to attempt a trip into Manhattan tomorrow morning before the mass transit shut down to get in a final long swim, and will try to fit in a trainer ride before rolling up the carpets, moving the furniture and evacuating my apartment. At least I finally get to sleep in on Sunday!

The Home Stretch

2011-08-24T21:13:00.002-04:00

When you sign up for Ironman 12 months in advance it feels like the day will never come. This week marks my final build before taper yet the race still felt somewhat distant... until bib numbers were released today. On September 11 I'll be racing my third Ironman Wisconsin as athlete number 517. If the third time is really a charm, 517 will be my new lucky number.

This last build week is a beast, but I'm enjoying these final moments. With all my struggles for consistency and more missed training than I can count, it feels good to nail the final, huge workouts. Here's what I've done so far this week:

Monday - Biked 80.91 miles on what might have been the nicest day yet this summer. It was sunny, warm and absolutely beautiful. It felt like a gift to be on my bike all afternoon.

Tuesday - Biked 39.85 miles in two rides, one in the morning and one after work. Again, gorgeous day.

Today - Ran 17.19 miles before work, my final long run. I've really struggled with running this time around but this run was great. Despite the huge training load already on my tired legs I felt fantastic throughout.

Here's what's still to come:

Thursday - Bike 1-1.5 hours easy, definitely will not be pushing after the big run.

Friday - Bike 1.5 hours, swim 1.5 hours. Drive to Lake Placid!

Saturday - Bike 100 miles, run 30 minutes. Swim if I have time.

Sunday - I'm supposed to rest but will likely get one final LP ride in before heading home.

There is a lot less hay in the barn this year, but I feel relatively prepared and am starting to really look forward to race day. I can't turn back the clock and make up all the missed training, I can only focus on what I've been able to accomplish and enjoy the experience. Ironman Wisconsin hasn't let me down yet so I am anticipating a really great day out there.

My Sister: My Hero

2011-08-22T20:42:00.006-04:00

For as long as I can remember, my sister, Jamie, has been my best friend. We share a lot - hair color, eye color, a love of cooking, food and wine. Over time we both took up running and we started doing races together. Then last year Jamie decided to learn how to swim. Like me she was comfortable in the water, but had not taken lessons. We talked about doing a tri together and thought the Columbia Iron Girl Sprint would be perfect. It was a little too close timing wise so the race came and went but the seed had been planted.

Last November we signed up for the race and with that Jamie's swim training kicked into high gear. Having just learned to swim myself in 2008, I know how challenging, frustrating and humbling it can be. She texted me updates along the way, some about progress and others about how hard it was. But she kept at it and eventually had her breakthrough.

After all the hard work and anticipation, yesterday was the race. We couldn't have asked for a better day, except for maybe skipping the torrential downpour just as we finished setting up transition. We were already soaked before even getting in the water!

A little rain aside, everything went incredibly well. I never got a chance to see her on the course because our waves were so far apart, but I quickly found her husband after I finished and we waited for her together. He let me know that she looked great after the swim and bike and was feeling good. Seeing her run down the finish chute was amazing because I know how hard she worked to be there. Triathlon is a daunting sport to dive into. It's scary. And in life it's so much easier to avoid the scary things even though tackling them is so rewarding. I've never started a tri and felt I was guaranteed to finish. So many things can go wrong and keep you from crossing that line, so every finish is a huge victory. But on that perfect Sunday, two sisters crossed the same line and were there to celebrate together. It was a really special day. Congrats to Jamie and welcome to the crazy world of triathlon!

Burn Out

2011-08-18T08:03:00.002-04:00

If the first step to recovery is acceptance, I have a confession to make. I'm burned out - both physically and mentally. Those of you who know me or who have followed me for awhile know how hard it is for me to admit this. I went from couch potato to Ironman in about 18 months and have been at it guns blazing ever since. I was the girl who'd get on the trainer at 10pm after a long work day just to log those precious minutes that everyone loves to post and brag about. I never gave up. Even when I tore my plantar fascia just days before my first Ironman I refused to take no for an answer and somehow willed my body and mind to endure an agonizing 7+ hour marathon because I never quit. I hate the word "can't."

But I've slowly discovered that I've reached a temporary limit and my desire to suffer and sacrifice for something that is no longer new has diminished. I couldn't care less about the hours and miles I've logged and almost never share it here or elsewhere. I place more value on enjoying the time I spend training vs. giving everything up to cram it into an already busy life. I don't stress or feel guilt over the many missed workouts I've had. On one hand all of that is good, but on the other it's not, because the fire I had to push me through this grueling sport is just about extinguished and the only way to reignite it is to take a break.

I recently shared my decision to withdraw from Ironman Arizona in November. At the time I thought I'd do the New York City Marathon, but the last couple weeks of training have made it clear I won't be doing that race either. Beginning September 12, I will be a normal person with a normal workout schedule, resting and recharging for however long it takes.

I don't think this burn out is the result of simply doing too many long races. I think it's from a series of poor choices I've made that might not have been detrimental on their own, but bound together became bigger issues.

Bad Choice #1 - How I handled my offseason after Ironman Wisconsin last year. I was going through a difficult time personally and wanted to escape. I essentially went from full throttle to nothing on the training front and ended up having such an extended period off it required starting from scratch.

Bad Choice #2 - The Los Angeles Marathon. In theory this seemed like a great idea, but in execution it was a disaster. We had one of the worst winters on record so training for a March marathon was pure misery. A slip on the ice caused a nagging groin injury that still hurts occasionally. In the extended recovery I was forced to take, I gained 8 pounds that have not gone away and have crushed my running pace and caused a host of aches and pains.

Bad Choice #3 - Signing up for two Ironmans without really thinking through the scheduling. I know myself and should have known I'd never be motivated to train long during fall, my favorite season. Having IMAZ on the schedule caused my IMWI training to be different and now that I'm only doing IMWI, I'm not as well prepared and it's causing a last-minute training frenzy that is exhausting.

So there we have it. I admit I'm burned out. I admit I need a break. And I'm looking forward to taking it. I have 10 more hard training days ahead of me and will get through it knowing there is a beautiful, bright light at the end of the tunnel. Instead of the NYC Marathon I'll be going to London with really good friends. Instead of Ironman Arizona I'll be spending a week in Italy with my boyfriend. The training for these events should be much more enjoyable than my previous schedule.

Following Your Heart

2011-08-05T14:40:00.000-04:00

After you've been racing for multiple hours and 120+ miles, the journey to continue isn't driven solely by the number of miles you logged training and how fit you may be. It's largely driven by your heart and your desire to push beyond limits and keep moving forward. I've completed three Ironmans since September 2009 and each was challenging and rewarding in its own way. My level of preparedness, fitness and health varied for each race, but the common denominator was that my heart was 100% in it and regardless of the obstacles each presented, I knew I wanted to be out there pushing to the finish.

After completing two Ironmans last year, I decided to do it again this season. I loved finishing Lake Placid knowing I had another incredible day around the corner at Wisconsin. The second race turned out to be my best yet so signing up for Wisconsin and Arizona seemed perfect. At the time I wasn't planning a 2012 Ironman so a late season race seemed ideal. But then I signed up for Ironman Mont-Tremblant and have experienced a change in the amount of time I have to dedicate to training. It's been a very difficult season and I'm struggling to fit it all in.

There has been a nagging thought in the back of my mind for weeks about how committed I am to Arizona. Fall is my favorite season, a time for long hikes, bike rides with no real purpose but the enjoyment of being outside and perhaps stopping for donuts, and cool-weather running. I started to worry about how I'd keep up the motivation to train while the days got shorter and everyone around me was enjoying the offseason. Several times I logged on to book a flight or sort out accommodations and couldn't pull the trigger. Then it hit me. Deep down I didn't want to race an Ironman in November, regardless of what year or race it was. It's just not the right race for how I want to live my life.

So while biking for seven hours last Friday I spent at least three of them thinking about my choice. I've never dropped out of a race unless I absolutely had to. I've run marathons with a broken arm or after being hit by a car, I did my first Ironman with a torn plantar fascia. Certainly I could and should do this.... right? But I finally allowed myself to admit the decision was already made. I love this sport and for some crazy reason I love the 140.6 distance. But I didn't love the idea of competing in Arizona and I don't want to risk burning out and not loving this anymore.

It was a hard decision, but the right one. It's caused a bit of last-minute cramming for Ironman Wisconsin since I was supposed to go in undertrained to build for the second race, but it's worth it and there is a finite end in sight. I'm going to use my guaranteed entry to the New York City Marathon instead and will spend a week in Italy for Thanksgiving. Feels like a great compromise to me.

More Progress and a Nice Break

2011-07-31T21:41:00.004-04:00

I had a fairly good week from a consistency standpoint but still couldn't hit 100%. The nagging stomach issue I acquired last week has hung on with a vengeance and caused weakness, dehydration and exhaustion, which continuing heat and steadily increasing training load just added to. But overall it was a very good week with a solid medium run Monday, long run Wednesday and really nice ride on Long Island Thursday. I was feeling pretty beat up from the running and the tiredness lingered, but I had to prepare for Friday, my biggest day of the week.

I had a plan to drive up to Westchester County to ride 100 miles on the Toughman Half Iron course. I packed everything up on Thursday and set the alarm for 4:15, just 5.5 hours after my head hit the pillow. I got up, drank as much coffee as possible and did my final packing. It was raining lightly but the forecast called for it to clear so I wasn't too concerned... that is until I went to load up the car and a monsoon rolled in. I got soaked packing the car and prayed it would stop on the drive. An hour and a half later it had lightened up but showed no signs of stopping so I clipped in and headed out. Light rain and mist continued for about 3 hours but it kept the temperature down and the overcast sky was a dream. I was actually chilly at times. I was still sleepy and pretty exhausted and wondered if I'd make it two loops, but then miraculously felt better after about 4 hours. I ended up doing 106.7 miles and climbing just over 6,000 feet. It was my first long ride on the tri bike (and in tri shorts... ouch) this season and I couldn't have felt better.

I'm riding a lot slower this year and just have to accept that. I was out crushing myself with the peloton two days a week last year and was pushing a lot harder overall. I'm riding a ton and really enjoying it, but it hasn't been the hammerfest that 2010 was and my numbers show it. C'est la vie. I'm happy on my bike and that's all I can ask for.

I took a little break on Saturday and traded spandex for an evening gown to attend a wedding with Mark. It was a classic New York City afternoon: ceremony at St. Patrick's Cathedral, champagne at 21 Club and a Park Avenue reception with dancing, fun and friends. The perfect Saturday night.

Saturday's festivities led to a very leisurely Sunday morning with a 10:15 wake-up. Yes folks, 10:15. Usually by that hour I've logged two workouts and am heading back to bed! It was fairly amazing and so desperately needed. We did a 2-hour ride in the early afternoon and I headed to the pool for the first time in 3 weeks and swam an hour continuous. This, my friends, is the best money I have EVER spent.

This fully waterproof iPod Shuffle made a 3,000 yard continuous swim feel like nothing. I felt like I was in my own little universe and for the first time ever, wasn't bored out of my mind.

I have another big week ahead, but a step-down on the bike so I should feel a little fresher. I also have a major decision in the works and I'll share that in the coming days.

Killer Heat

2011-07-22T15:22:00.006-04:00

It's hot outside. Scorching, boiling, miserable hot. It got into the upper 90s yesterday but didn't break the milestone 100 mark until today around noon. This meant bad luck for me for two reasons: (1) I had an 11-mile run on the schedule, and (2) I got some sort of food poisoning/stomach virus this week which is oh so fun in the heat. My plan was to be up at 4 and out the door by 5, but the stomach and general cruelness of the week didn't allow for that so instead I was up at 5:30 and didn't make it out the door until 7:30. It was already oppressively hot.

I took it super easy and was still reduced to a pool of sweat. I could feel the heat radiating off me. I drank 20 ounces of Cytomax, 8 ounces of ice water during my fluids refill stop, then 20 more ounces of water. I weighed myself before and after and was down 4 pounds. I did pretty well until about mile 9 where I had to stop and sit in the shade for a minute before powering through the final 2 miles. When I got inside, this was on weather.com.

I stopped at a deli, bought 10 pounds of ice and retreated to the air conditioning. An ice bath has never felt better.

After a 2-hour nap and tons of fluids I feel pretty good, albeit still sleepy. It's so hot out there that my apartment is 80 degrees even with the AC on high and set at 68. I'm really looking forward to the sun going down, but for now this is what New Yorkers are dealing with.

Let's Get This Party Started... Again

2011-07-17T08:58:00.003-04:00

Three months ago I enthusiastically posted about my return to Ironman training, which was started slightly later than usual due to my spring marathon and late-season second Ironman.

April was relatively consistent aside from a couple business trips and conflicts - two days without training while in Colorado for an Olympics meeting, a rest day after riding the IMLP loop and a day trip to Cincinnati that turned into two days due to a weather cancellation. Otherwise I hit just about everything on the calendar. I was feeling good.

May wasn't as consistent, but had some high points. I had seven training-free days: a few 14+ hour work days, another business trip and some planned rest days. But the high points included riding the Gran Fondo New York, riding the IMWI course after a wedding in Madison (albeit with a teeny tiny hangover) and a day of rock climbing in the Shawangunks. All in all a good month with solid effort.

Then the wheels came off in June. I knew going in it would be a difficult month, but I'm not sure I fully realized just how difficult it would be. It started with my first race of the season (swear to god, the report is coming!), followed by some decent training volume and my Horribly Hilly Hundreds ride, then fizzled away after traveling to Greece and getting sick. The two-week lapse had me feeling pretty discouraged and made me question my ability to race.

So where does this leave me? Three months into training I'm definitely not where I want to be or need to be. Lack of consistency is my biggest issue - it doesn't allow proper recovery, it leads to tightness and stiffness in just about every part of your body, it screws up your sleep patterns and leads to weight gain or inability to lose weight. Stress is my other issue. We put our bodies through an immense amount of physical stress, then I have life stress layered on top of that essentially turning me into a cortisol factory. It's not healthy and very difficult to manage.

Despite all that I've been talked off the "I can't do IMWI ledge" and feel back on track. I used vacation to ease in and stuck to my schedule pretty religiously this week aside from swimming. I had a mole removed Tuesday during my bi-annual skin cancer screening and that means 10 pool-free days. You know I don't mind that! I've been tired and struggling to roll out of bed at 4:45 or 5 every day, but it's getting easier and will keep getting easier.

I had a great weekend of training including a 9-mile run Friday that finally felt good and was close to my former long run pace range. Then yesterday I drove up to Harriman State Park and did a 60-mile ride with more than 5,415 feet of climbing, including two times to the top of Bear Mountain. This ended with a 30-minute run and my legs officially hate me. Today will either be rest or a short recovery ride, then back at it next week.

My Crazy June

2011-07-10T20:49:00.009-04:00

I'm having a hard time believing it's not only July, but nearly halfway through it. A lot of bloggers posted a half-year summary and I thought about doing the same, but at the pace I'm moving these days I'd be lucky to get it up before November. So instead I'm reflecting on June, the month that passed by in a flash and left me utterly exhausted, but included some really incredible experiences:

Traveled more in one month than ever before
Did my first tri of the year
Celebrated my birthday three times
Joined friends in Wisconsin for a ride
Left the country
Got tear gassed
Departed for vacation (well technically I departed in July...)

June 3-6 - San Francisco/Escape From Alcatraz

Race finish... I promise someday the report will be posted

June 10 and 11 - My first two birthday celebrations!

Beer garden before birthday dinner June 10

Birthday dinner June 11

June 17-20 - Wisconsin/Horribly Hilly Hundreds/third birthday celebration

With Laura at HHH, first rest stop before the real misery

With my nephew for birthday celebration #3

June 23-29 - Athens, Greece (and the tear gassing)

With colleagues and bloggers at the Parthenon

My volume suffered terribly and I was essentially a shell of myself by the time I left for vacation, but I used the week off to get re-energized and prepared for the big volume July will bring. I'm a little concerned about how undertrained I'll be for Ironman Wisconsin, but I've done it under far worse circumstances so I'm sure I'll be ok. I'm not aiming for a PR and will be racing with my friends from IMWI 2009 so it will be great regardless. For now I'm just hoping July remains as tranquil as it began... a girl can dream, right?

Cape Coddin' It

2011-07-08T08:26:00.008-04:00

Just two days after returning from Greece I left on another trip, but this one was for pleasure. I've spent the past week in Provincetown at the very tip of Cape Cod, by far one of my favorite places on Earth. All of the Cape is lovely, but there is something really special about the outer Cape that I've loved since the first time I came here in the Summer of 1998. I was joined by my family and we have a little condo at the end of a pier where the water is beneath us during high tide. To swim, I simply walk down a set of stairs and voila - open water heaven.

As you can imagine, a beach vacation at the outermost tip of the Cape involves eating a lot of seafood.

Going to the beach.

Relaxing on the deck.

And lucky for me, it also involves beautiful biking along dunes, salt marshes and the ocean. I've done two rides so far - a 42-mile out-and-back from Provincetown to Wellfleet and a 72-mile ride to Wellfleet and then to Dennis and back on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, a 22-mile paved path for cyclists, walkers and runners.

That ride ended with the perfect recovery meal.

I had a ride planned this morning but woke up to rain. It doesn't look like it will clear so my biking may be done here, but at least I got in the miles I did. After a two-week bike hiatus it felt good to be back in the saddle (well, actually the saddle part didn't feel so good but you get my point...) and should make it easier to dive back into the training when I get home.

My Big Fat Greek Trip

2011-07-03T10:57:00.013-04:00

While you may have suspected I quit the sport of triathlon, moved to the North Pole or gave up my computer, I've actually been traveling like a maniac this entire month and my latest adventure was in Athens, Greece. I was there on business for the Special Olympics World Games and had some time to get out and explore as well. It was a tumultuous time to be in Athens given the civil unrest and protests, but also a very historical one. I had the opportunity to experience everything from this:

Parthenon

To this:

Riots Near Syntagma Square

My favorite part of Athens was the old neighborhood called The Plaka, just on the other side of the protests in Syntagma Square and creeping up the hill to the Acropolis. I wandered for hours, had lunch that lasted for hours and saw some incredible ancient ruins. The Acropolis is clearly the crown jewel of Athens sightseeing, with the Parthenon as the star. How often can you stroll past monuments built 2,500 years ago? And the views from Acropolis hill are breathtaking.

But just below it there is another area of ruins called the Ancient Agora, the former Roman center of the city containing the remains of temples and commercial structures. Everywhere you go there are dogs wandering around. They don't belong to anyone but aren't wild per se. They pretty much ignore you and go about their business. This was my favorite part of the Agora:

Temple of Hephaestus

And now for the best part... the food. You know that Mediterranean diet they talk about that's so healthy? Yeah, not in Athens. My favorite things were of course the heaviest, fattiest of all - garlicky tzatziki (a sheep's milk yogurt dip) with pita, saganaki (fried cheese... yes, fried), moussaka (a sort of eggplant lasagna-type dish) and Greek salad, which never had any greens but was loaded with cucumber and tomato in olive oil and a huge block of feta thrown on top. On the lighter side I ate tons of grilled octopus and the occasional squid. But I generally topped it off with baklava, or some other flaky, honey-drenched pastry. The wine was delicious and I gravitated toward minerally whites that tasted like the sea.

Moussaka

Grilled Octopus

Best Lunch Ever

My final two days were in the midst of the national transportation strike due to the austerity vote taking place in Parliament. I unfortunately got caught up in a riot while walking back to my hotel and the police shot tear gas into the crowd. I can honestly say it was one of the most unpleasant experiences I've had. It was jarring, uncomfortable and most of all, made me feel incredibly empathetic for the people living through this disruptive time. I don't think protests and riots are the answer, but I also don't know what it's like to feel helpless and concerned about a stable future. It was a reminder that our lives are pretty good here and our complaints seem petty in the face of the challenges of others.

I had a 16-hour trip home due to the strike, but I made it. Even without the delays the flight is so long (10.5 hours) I watched three movies, ate two meals and still had time to kill. I was happy to be back and am still trying to shake the jet lag.

On the training front things have come to a screeching halt. I had planned to run daily in Athens and managed to make it out the first day, but the head cold I left with swiftly turned into a chest cold and I spent the week with a deep, nasty cough that would not allow any running to happen. I'm still recovering and am planning to ease back in and pick up where I left off. I could let it bother me, but I won't. At this point in my tri life I know I can bounce back and I'm positive I will.

The Little Things

2011-06-19T19:51:00.006-04:00

I've been so busy and so exhausted lately that it's been hard to take a pause and enjoy life. My training isn't where it needs to be, but sometimes a little breather is just what the doctor ordered. I arrived in Madison Friday morning and had a leisurely breakfast with my dad, just the two of us, then picked up my rental bike for Horribly Hilly. I had planned to run and when I went to unpack my gear, I realized I didn't bring running shorts. Shoot. The last thing I needed was a great excuse to skip it.

I ended up going to the carwash with my dad where we got to sit and chat some more. Then took my mom for a pedicure while I got a manicure. It was now late afternoon and I figured I'd buy some run shorts so I could at least consider running at some point over the weekend, and ended up buying a bunch of dresses as well. I can't remember the last time I shopped with my mom.

By the time we got home we had time for a quick beer (Spotted Cow!) and had a little birthday celebration with my brother and nephew.

My nephew, Maddox

My brother has a great sense of humor and got me the perfect gift.

The original redneck wine glass

Shortly after we were off to dinner at Lombardino's, the same place I ate the night before my last Ironman Wisconsin. I love this place and will try to eat here again pre-race. Following dinner we drove to Mount Horeb to meet up with my friends Laura and Chris at the Grumpy Troll. We all did IMWI together in '09 and Chris did IMLP with me last year. We rode HHH together in '09 and were getting ready to do it again. I love spending time with them, it is always fun.

Outside Grumpy Troll after a few pre-race libations

So while my training took a pause, my life did not. And that was something I needed far more. It was definitely the beginning of a really incredible weekend.

Next up, the Horribly Hilly Hundreds 2011 report. Or perhaps I'll stop procrastinating and post Alcatraz first. We shall see.

Number 6: Mont-Tremblant

2011-06-15T21:16:00.002-04:00

Today I signed up for my sixth Ironman, the inaugural Ironman Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, Canada. Fellow blogger Kevin did such a beautiful job explaining it in this post so I won't even try to compare.

You may be wondering, why sign up for another when I have two still to come this year? The answer is simple: because I can. I'm going through a really difficult time with my schedule right now. Work is very intense, the hours long, and I'm so run down I feel I'm either missing my training or sleepwalking through it. This morning was the latest manifestation. After a battle with midnight insomnia I finally fell asleep around 1am and when the alarm went off at 5 for a 12 mile run I finally accepted I couldn't do it. I was so tired it hurt and the thought of pushing my body through that exhaustion raised enough of a red flag for me to stop.

I've done three Ironmans now and if I've learned anything it's that I can weather the storms and will come out just fine in the end. I won't let missed workouts or life overload drag me down. I can't. I got into this crazy sport to prove to myself I can do anything if I'm willing to try and somewhere along the way I fell in love with the distance and the lifestyle. So when IMMT became a possibility, right in the midst of the busiest I've been in a long time, I embraced it. Life is too short to do otherwise.

I'm already looking forward to it and with the incredible group of people racing (see Kevin's post), it's sure to be a really fun experience.

A Birthday and Anniversary

2011-06-12T23:27:00.007-04:00

Today was a very special day. Thirty-six years ago my mom and dad were getting ready for a nice anniversary dinner when my mom unexpectedly went into labor. Instead of enjoying the special meal, they were at the hospital having me. Today was not only my birthday, but also their 40th anniversary and I've never seen two people love each other more. Happy Anniversary mom and dad and thank you for everything you've done for me. I wouldn't be who I am today without you.

I've never been a big birthday person in the party sense, but I like to do something special. Last year I raced Eagleman 70.3 and this year I told myself Alcatraz and the trip to San Fran was my gift to myself. But the weekend rolled around and I needed to at least acknowledge my actual day of birth. So I kicked it off Friday with a long overdue night out with a dear friend, starting at a new rooftop beer garden in gorgeous weather and ending with a phenomenal dinner sitting outside in sundresses enjoying the warmth.

Saturday was blissfully lazy. My ride was rained out so we went for brunch instead. There were naps, time spent downloading race pictures from last week, time spent relaxing and just catching up. I got a pedicure and had a glass of wine and before I knew it we had to get ready for dinner.

Mark was taking me to a restaurant I've always considered one of the best in New York, Mas in the West Village. We had a perfect table and the perfect bottle of champagne and while browsing the menu they suggested we just let the chef cook for us and they would take care of everything. Sold. We love to eat this way whenever possible. The meal was outstanding and the experience just perfect.

Today, my actual birthday, started with lazy morning coffee at my favorite cafe followed by muffins in the park. Since the rain held off we went for a short ride to justify the muffins, logging 25 easy birthday miles. After a little rest I headed out for my birthday eve adventure - rock climbing at Brooklyn Boulders. After my experience climbing outdoors I was nervous, but it would turn out to be much more doable. I took a class and was climbing within an hour. We had such a great time, it was one of the most memorable birthday gifts I've ever received.

While this week was a bust for training, I took the opportunity to slow down, rest, catch up and enjoy my life. I'm only in town a few more days this month and wanted them to be normal, stress-free days.

I also decided to do the inaugural Ironman Mont-Tremblant in 2012 and booked my lodging today! This means I have to push Comrades to another year, but I'm ok with that. This plans feels exactly right for my year.

I have a long Alcratraz race report in draft that I'll share this week. The quick summary - it was amazing. More to come!

What Doesn't Kill You...

2011-05-30T13:27:00.008-04:00

Wow, it's been a long time friends and all I can say is it's been a blur. This has been the busiest spring ever and summer doesn't look to be much better. There have been ups and downs, good and bad, and rather than try to fill in all the blanks, I thought I'd share some highlights and start with a clean slate. Here we go...

Week of May 9

Right after my last post, I left for a business trip in Chicago followed by a weekend in Wisconsin. The departure was stressful - my cat Otis got sick again Sunday night and Monday was spent scrambling to the vet and back and barely making my flight. All was well with the kitty and I made it to the Windy City unscathed where I ran every day along the lakefront to keep my training levels up and enjoy one of my favorite cities.

"The bean" in Millennium Park

I also got to go to a Cubs game, but not in the actual park. Instead we went to the Brixen Ivy Rooftops, one of the many buildings around the park that make up the Wrigley Rooftops. It was a really fun experience.

Next up was Madison, home of the Ironman, my family, many friends and lots of good eating and drinking. I managed to fit in all during a long weekend. I was in town for a friend's wedding and decided to rent a bike for a little IMMOO course preview and grab some quality time with the family as well. It was an incredibly fun weekend even if our course ride was in 30mph headwind with 50mph gusts and a wee bit of a hangover.

Out of wine... probably a good thing

Week of May 16

Busy. Just busy. I blame work. I felt drained every day and put in long hours that made training difficult. I slogged through and only missed one workout, but I felt like I'd been put through the ringer. So of course while overwhelmed and exhausted, I decided to add another trip and challenge to my schedule - Horribly Hilly Hundreds! I bought a transfer and am doing it on a rental bike. I'm such a badass. We'll see if I tip over, implode or just pass out.

The weekend rolled around and I was out for a beautiful ride on Saturday with friends. Forty-five miles into the ride and 28 miles from the George Washington Bridge my shifter snapped off my bike. Yep, snapped right off... while I was in the hardest possible gear. It took six people, a tiny screwdriver and a little MacGyvering to get me back on the road in a rideable gear, but I only had that one gear. Twenty-eight hilly miles on a Cervelo fixie is an interesting experience to say the least. But the tragedy was my bike being out of commission and my other bike sitting covered in dust with a flat tire.

I dropped off the dead bike, got the tri bike fixed and waited. They wanted to see if SRAM would cover it under warranty, no one had ever seen a mechanical failure quite like it. Lucky me. My tri bike had to be dropped off by noon Wednesday for shipping to Alcatraz so I rode it every possible moment I could in case I'd be bikeless for a week or more. I logged over 100 miles in just three days and with the broken bike ride I had six consecutive days in the saddle:

Friday - 15.33 miles
Saturday - 72.29 miles
Sunday - 20.39 miles
Monday - 24.06 miles
Tuesday - 23.86 miles
Wednesday - 52.8 miles

That's what I call time in the saddle. I loved it.

Week of May 23

I did the biking above, shipped my bike for Alcatraz and hosted a wine tasting benefit to raise money for Team Cindy. I'm about $150 shy of goal now and really proud of what I've accomplished. On Wednesday I booked a rock climbing day trip figuring if I didn't have a bike, I might as well try a new challenge. There will be a second post all about that because it was too incredible to squeeze into this paragraph, but it's fair to say it was one of the coolest (and scariest) things I've ever done. I am hurting all over in muscles I didn't even know I had.

My first climbing attempt, Shawangunk Ridge in New Paltz

Rapelling - so much easier than climbing!

My bike was fixed as of Friday night and SRAM covered all under warranty. Things were looking up. Then I woke up this morning to a thunderstorm, went back to bed and decided to just ride in Prospect Park. I had 80 miles on tap and figured I'd get in 40 if I was lucky. I was having an ok ride until Mile 28 when some jerk ran me off the road. First crash of the season and my ride cut abruptly short. I'm now icing my legs and slathering Arnica all over my aching body. This isn't exactly how I envisioned I'd be just six days from my first race of the season. It will be interesting to see how I feel on Sunday.

Road rash and street dirt. Good times.

And finally...

I'm traveling what feels like nonstop in June so my bike mileage will suffer and I'm likely to be pretty run down. I'm going to do my best to stay healthy, consistent and keep a positive attitude. I'll be in San Francisco for Escape from Alcatraz in one week, Wisconsin for Horribly Hilly Hundreds in a few weeks, and Athens, Greece at the end of the month for work. After that I'm off to the Cape for a much-needed vacation with my family. Summer has arrived.

Endorphins Cure All

2011-05-08T20:28:00.004-04:00

Nothing wipes away a rough week faster than a weekend on the bike. The sleep catch-up started on Friday and continued into Saturday. The sleep deprivation began again on Sunday, but for a good cause. On a bit of a whim, I signed up for the inaugural Gran Fondo New York, but since my longest ride thus far has been 45 miles, I did the sane thing and opted for the Medio course, a 65 mile ride on some pretty aggressive hills. I met up with a friend and was feeling rather smug as I clipped along in a paceline with thousands of other cyclists. But about 25 miles in, which was 40 miles with my commute from Brooklyn, I started to fade. I continued to enjoy it, however, and realized how much I've missed being on my bike. After 83.12 miles I reached the end.

I've been beat all day, but beat in a good way. The exhaustion from training is different than the exhaustion from stress, it's almost refreshing. A meal, a nap, a snack, a pedi with leg massage and another meal later I feel pretty incredible and am sure I'll sleep well tonight.

With a couple missed workouts and a couple detours, how did my week turn out?

The Numbers:

Swim - 2,650 yards, 51:44 (I know, Alcatraz is just around the corner...)
Bike - 141.35 miles, 9:25:23
Run - 12.02 miles, 1:46:31

I have a light block at the beginning of the week for business travel and have a feeling my body will thank me. Hopefully this will be a better week.

Catching Up: The Condensed Version

2011-05-06T08:36:00.002-04:00

Do you ever feel like there are too many things to fit in? Anyone training for an Ironman has days, weeks, even months, where just getting by takes monumental effort. These are the weeks where dishes pile up, a stack of mail forms, every pair of shoes I've worn are hanging out by the door having a party, my personal appearance slips and my clothing choices might not be my finest. The last two weeks have been like this for me, an endless balancing act between life and training where blogging became the least important thing for me to focus on.

So here I am with the brief version of where I've been and what I've been up to.

Thank God For Rest Weeks

The week of April 25 was a rest week at the end of my first build block. I needed it. My body was handling the training well, but I was tired and had a very busy week of work ahead. I had back-to-back events, one in Cincinnati that led me on a detour to DC wearing the same clothes for two days and getting about 4 hours of sleep the entire time. Luckily my sister lives there so the impromptu visit with her made it feel special.

I did another three-day cleanse with BluePrint over the weekend, which allowed me time to unplug, sleep and catch up. Nothing beats a night with 10 hours of sleep when you're exhausted. That, plus the jolt of energy from all the green juice, had me feeling like a new person come Monday.

Training numbers:

Swim - 1,200 yards, 24:42
Bike - 41.4 miles, 2:48:51
Run - 8.5 miles, 1:19:04

I did everything as scheduled and rested as scheduled. I felt great by Sunday night.

The Week That Fell Apart

Filled with optimism I jumped into my next build phase, but there have been some challenges along the way. Monday went as scheduled when I did a late-night swim despite my desire to sit on the couch and watch Mad Men. If you know how much I enjoy swimming you know it was a big deal for me to suit up and go to the pool at 9pm. Tuesday was fine and included a lovely dinner with a friend. Wednesday was a day trip to Cincinnati so a rest day training-wise. But it all fell apart on Thursday when I was too exhausted from the 19-hour day Wednesday to get up at 5am, so I opted for sleep (my coach always says extra sleep is better than extra training) and planned my workout for evening, but evening turned into 10pm again and I just couldn't do it. I had a slight meltdown, ate some dark chocolate chips and went to sleep.

Now that Friday is here I'm aiming to just ease back into the schedule and make up the missed workout sometime this weekend. I'm looking forward to some quiet time if I can find it and starting next week anew. In the end I likely won't have missed any workouts, but it's the frantic juggling that creates stress and the stress takes a toll. It's important to find ways to manage it during training so we have every opportunity to heal and recover. Dark chocolate chips really help with that.

Season Opener and Another Week

2011-04-25T21:12:00.003-04:00

I did my first real ride of the season this past weekend and it was on the Ironman Lake Placid course. It was a fitting start... 45 miles with nearly 3,000 feet of climbing and a stiff headwind for much of it. But despite the challenges, I loved every moment. There are few places I love riding more so starting my year there was perfect.

After a pretty big week of training where I not only hit every workout but did a little extra, I had a very relaxing weekend. But first...

The Numbers:

Swim - 5,600 yards, 1:47:30
Bike - 93.95 miles, 6:18:06
Run - 16.64 miles, 2:38:12

And now for the weekend. I had the immense pleasure of staying at The Whiteface Lodge for the third time, a place that personifies heaven. I slept in, went for an incredible run around Mirror Lake (which was frozen, by the way!), soaked in a big jacuzzi tub, had a massage and went to a wine tasting dinner in a gorgeous house overlooking Lake Placid. Sunday included the ride, a late and leisurely lunch, a nap by the fire and smores before heading back to reality.

I feel great about the training and how my body is responding. I'm also energized and excited by it, which was something I worried about heading into my third season of long course and another year of two Ironmans. This week is a rest week and it took every bit of restraint to stick to the plan and not ride tonight with friends. We'll see how the rest of the week goes...

Week Two - The Juggling Act

2011-04-19T22:28:00.004-04:00

Last week was only my second week of Ironman training and it was already a monumental juggling act. The week-long business trip to Colorado involved two long travel days and totally wiped me out. Despite the hectic schedule, I managed to get in all planned workouts. Thankfully it was a lighter week due to the lack of swim and bike opportunities, but a good week nevertheless.

The Numbers:

Bike - 90.63 miles, 5:52:23
Run - 8.5 miles, 1:15:00

There were no swims on the schedule and as you can imagine, I didn't miss them! As I ease into Week 3 I'm feeling a bit tired and have definitely had a hard time getting back into the groove. I think it will take a few more weeks to get used to the 5:30am wake-ups and absolute lack of free time. It's not like this is my first time around so I'm not sure why it's so challenging. I just have to keep reminding myself that 5:30 will soon turn to 5, then to 4:30 and eventually 4 or earlier. Those mornings are rare, but during my peak last season I had at least one per week. I should enjoy the rest while I can!

I'm heading north to beautiful Lake Placid this weekend and am hoping to get out on the course. It's one of my favorite rides so Mother Nature, please cooperate. Thanks in advance.

Olympic Experience

2011-04-15T22:44:00.010-04:00

Once again, but on a much smaller scale, the Olympics took over my life and forced a short break in my training. I had one day running and two days rest on the calendar during my trip to the USOC headquarters and that's exactly what I did. During the two down days I did a tremendous amount of work, but also got to meet several former and future Olympians as well as the mothers of some of the most amazing athletes, including Taylor Phinney, David Oliver and Henry Cejudo (also met Henry and he was one of the most personable, sincere, amazing people I have ever met). I also got to participate in some Olympics fun. Here are the highlights:

Fencing, won my match!

Took second place in rifle shooting, I'm a natural.

Just look at the intensity... and the pink nails.

Gymnasts jump into deep piles of square foam blocks, so fun!

Olympic torch relay, only ours ended with a champagne toast rather than world-class sports.

I arrived home at 2am last night and slept half of today. I am definitely off schedule and not at 100%, but 1.5 hours on the bike helped set me right. After a big weekend of training I'll be almost back to normal minus the pool... well actually, that is normal.

"It Couldn't Be Done" by Edgar Guest

2011-04-13T00:55:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I really love what I do. I'm in Colorado Springs for work at the USOC headquarters, and today former Paralympian and Sydney medalist John Register started a presentation with the following quote. Whenever I'm feeling unmotivated and uninspired, I'm going to read this, put on a grin and tackle the thing that couldn't be done.

It Couldn't Be Done
by Edgar Albert Guest

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But, he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn’t," but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "couldn’t be done," and you’ll do it.

Today was filled with inspiration. It started with a 5.5 mile run at 6,035 feet... to say winded would be an understatement. I took second place in rifle shooting and won my fencing match. Maybe I should explore some additional sports beyond triathlon!

Week in Review

2011-04-10T20:32:00.001-04:00

Ah, Sunday. For many it means sleeping in, brunch, the two-inch thick New York Times. For others it means chlorine, sweat and sport food. I actually like both versions, which is why I'm incredibly thankful for the offseason. But for now my Sunday is mostly the latter, though it is a recovery day so it has a relaxing feel to it. If I'm really beat I can do nothing and rest, but if I'm up for it I can do a recovery swim. I also have an optional bike each week to do on a single workout day or Sunday if I wish.

Today I did both even though I did the optional bike on Wednesday already (shhhh, don't tell my coach). I'm all for rest, but I'll have a couple days off next week due to a business trip to Colorado Springs (to the USOC training facility, be jealous of me!!!). After eating The King last night a rest day didn't seem needed. Plus I ate this post-swim/pre-ride.

Muffin stuffed with pork shoulder bacon, cheddar and soft-boiled egg

The Numbers:

Swim - 5,600 yards, 1:51:26
Bike - 98.11 miles, 6:22:46
Run - 10.50 miles, 1:36:24

I'm still babystepping back into running after the Hell-A Marathon, but at least all went well. My love affair with the bike has been rekindled and the swim... I'm tolerating it. One week down, 32 more to go!

In closing I wanted to share one of the best things I've made in a long time, mushroom bolognese from The Italian Dish blog.

I had it over quinoa pasta two nights in a row and froze the rest. I can't wait to finish a long day of training and have it waiting for me again!

The Great Outdoors

2011-04-09T22:29:00.005-04:00

Finally. After all this time it finally felt like spring! I woke up and did my usual lounge on the couch with a coffee while surfing the iPad routine (I'm really going to miss that when the real training starts) and waited for it to warm up a bit before heading out on the bike. It was only about 50 but it was sunny and felt amazing. I actually ran back inside to shed a layer.

I've only been on my bike outside once this year so it felt incredible. I don't mind the trainer, but there are only so many episodes of Lost one can watch while pedaling in place. I did just over 30 miles and felt pretty good. I violated my own rules and took my iPod, wearing just one ear bud. I have to admit, it helped tremendously. I was riding in Prospect Park so I felt safe doing so, but admittedly would never do it on the open road.

My ride ended with a 3 mile run at half Ironman pace. I haven't done a brick since Ironman Wisconsin so it felt pretty horrendous. My legs were totally dead. I usually run really well off the bike, but not so much today. I'll chalk it up to being so new and hope it improves in the coming weeks. Horrendous or not, it felt great to be back in the swing of things.

How did I reward myself? With this.

It's a candy bar called The King, from Liddabit Sweets in Brooklyn. Everything is locally sourced and handmade, elevating candy to a new level. I couldn't resist when I read the description:

"A Liddabit signature item. Soft peanut butter nougat is sandwiched between a brown sugar-brown butter cookie and a layer of fresh banana ganache, and dipped in milk chocolate. Long live the King!"

A swim and bike tomorrow will wrap up week 1 of Ironman training. It's good to be back.

Los Angeles Marathon: The Full Report

2011-04-06T21:55:00.001-04:00

I knew the LA Marathon wasn't going to be my most outstanding race performance due to a recent injury and less-than-tip-top health week, but I had no idea it would be my most challenging race yet. The forecast leading up to race day was grim - first a chance of showers, then rain, then heavy rain plus wind. The percent chance inched up from 30% to 100% and the temp wasn't predicted to break 54. Yet Michelle - the friend I was staying with and racing with - and I remained optimistic. They're always wrong about the weather, right?

Wrong. Not only were they right, but they were actually fairly generous with the forecast. The really bad stuff was initially predicted to start around 10 and get incredibly bad around noon. We hoped we'd be well into the course by the time it got ugly, but instead the rain started at .60 miles on my watch and sprinkled until mile 7, where it quickly transformed into a torrential downpour. My first thought was that while it sucked, it would likely be a blip and go back to light showers. It was only 9am after all. But instead it continued to pour and the more soaked I became, the colder it seemed. Rivers were forming in the streets and forced us to run through ankle deep currents at times. But we pressed on.

Michelle and I pre-race, we had such high hopes!

All was going according to plan pace-wise for most of the first half. I started with the 3:50 pace team, but hung back a bit knowing it was a bit aggressive for me. After the first big hill they pulled away and were a distant memory. The 4:00 pace team showed up shortly after so I joined them for a few miles. I was running comfortably and hitting sub-9s consistently. I was forced to take a pee break around mile 7 due to the cold temps and lack of sweating. I ran ahead of the group thinking I could stop quickly and catch up, but unfortunately lost them. It was ok though, I was still clipping along nicely.

But things took a turn for the worse around the half point. My stomach had been cramping and my shoes felt like soaked bricks. Even the steep downhills were rough. I was on a very meticulous nutrition schedule and had done everything right - how could this be? It was the kind of thing I've heard endless stories about, runners suffering full GI meltdowns and surviving a race dashing from porta potty to porta potty. That became my fate somewhere around 14 miles. The weather had worsened and just about the time the big, puffy 14-mile blow up fell down on us, my entire system shut down. Every sip of anything I took, or even a minuscule drop of gel, sent me racing for a bathroom. I felt weak, feverish. My legs got heavier. I wanted to cry. This all went down in Beverly Hills, a part of the course I should have been loving every downhill moment of.

The look on my face says it all

I hoped it would pass, but instead it continued to worsen so I stopped all hydration and nutrition and kept moving forward. The frequent stopping made my body temperature plummet so I grabbed a heat sheet from Medical around Mile 17 or 18. I continued to run. Thoughts of a voluntary DNF were on my mind, but I was staying with friends and the cell phone number of my post-race ride was saved on my phone, which was checked in baggage at the finish. I had no one to call and feared being stuck shivering roadside while waiting forever for an official ride to the finish. So I kept going.

I hit rock bottom around Mile 20 and was forced to walk. I felt lifeless and started to worry about things like kidney damage or dangerously low electrolytes and honestly didn't know what to do. Should I keep running and try to get this over with as quickly as possible? Or should I go slow and easy and risk hypothermia? After slogging through a couple areas of shin-deep water and walking up a hill, I decided to try running on the downhill. My stomach ached and my legs were dead. I cried.

How do you like that fake smile?

While walking at a glacial pace, another runner joined me and tried to cheer me up. She was having a rough day, too, but hers was due to typical late-marathon leg pain. She couldn't seem to get going again. I had a hard time finding energy for small talk and couldn't lift my eyes from the soaking wet pavement. I saw Mile 24 ahead and thought: If I can get there, I'll run the rest. It's almost over. Then the 4:30 pace team went jogging by and I had this awful sinking feeling about just how long I would be on this course. So I started running.

My pace was slow, but improving, and I ended up passing the 4:30 group and just running on my own. As I approached Santa Monica the wind became unbearable, heavy gusts blowing head on that made it difficult to move forward at times. This was supposed to be the magical part of the course, the Pacific Ocean off to your right as you run down Ocean Boulevard. There were tons of cheering spectators and I could see the finish ahead, even though it was still a mile away. It was all downhill and should have been spectacular. I finish many races in tears because I'm overwhelmed by the experience, the support, the accomplishment. I finished this race in tears because I was hurting so much and was so thankful it was over. I crossed the line in 4:33:35, far short of my sub-4 goal but a huge accomplishment given the conditions.

Happy to be finished! Check out the water on the camera lens

I ran nearly 11 miles without any fluids or nutrition and my race splits painted a picture of my gradual decline. After the finish my body temp rapidly dropped and I was shaking violently. My plan was to hit the medical tent for an IV and have them retrieve my bag so I could call for my ride, but the walk was so long I couldn't make it. I was directed into a warming room set up at a local hotel and sat there for over an hour shivering by myself. I felt so lost. When I finally mustered up the courage to go back outside, I fought the wind and rain to retrieve my bag and call Michelle's husband to pick me up. It was then I learned she had DNFd at the halfway point. I was so relieved. Michelle has lupus and the cold could have caused serious issues.

Five hours after my last sip of fluid on the course I had my first sip of Gatorade and it didn't sit well. I waited another hour and had a hot chocolate (not just any hot chocolate, but a venti salted caramel hot chocolate from Starbucks!) on the ride home, it felt so good to have something warm. That didn't sit well either. By 6pm I was starving and decided to ignore my stomach and finally eat: In-N-Out Double Double and Neapolitan shake, with champagne, of course!

Somehow that did sit well and at 10pm we went out for Mexican food. We didn't just snack either, we had a full on meal with tableside guacamole, handmade corn tortillas and a giant platter of enchiladas. After not eating or drinking all day I was a bottomless pit.

My coach believes I suffered digestion issues due to the cold and extreme conditions. It's never happened to me before and I hope it never does again, but at least I know I can deal with it if it does. We ask our bodies to do so much, it's not surprising they sometimes say "no."

I may never reflect on this as a "good" race by any definition, but I'm proud of what I accomplished. I dealt with a difficult situation, made decisions and found a way to get to the finish line safely. I also had a great weekend with a good friend and that made it more worthwhile than any medal or PR ever could.

Stuff I Love: Luna Bars That Taste Like Girl Scout Cookies

2011-04-05T20:42:00.001-04:00

During the season I consume mass quantities of sport food. Some of it is merely tolerable while others make me look forward to a workout. My favorite examples of the latter are two Luna Bars that taste remarkably like my two favorite Girl Scout cookies. What could be better than that?

Luna Love #1 - Chocolate Peppermint Stick

I discovered this bar last year and consumed it in bulk. During heavy training I largely abstain from sugar except during workouts. This delicious treat not only keeps me going, but it tastes like crushed up Thin Mints. If you like chocolate and you like peppermint you'll love this. I buy a box at a time.

Luna Love #2 - Chocolate Dipped Coconut

This is a recent discovery that I anticipate will become a training pantry staple. It didn't seem exciting at first glance but one bite had me hooked and singing its praises. This Luna reminds me of the best Girl Scout cookie of all time - the Samoa. Sport food really shouldn't be this good.

Lunas may not be the top choice for healthy nutrition but when you spend hours upon hours shunning real food and drink you have to somewhat like what you're putting into your body. And I love these. The only downside is the chocolate coating - it melts in your jersey pocket or in transition and can be quite messy. I froze them for my Ironmans last year and it helped tremendously, but you still risk coating yourself in chocolate. Because of this, my second favorite bar becomes my go-to choice for race day - Hammer Cashew Coconut Chocolate Chip. It's seriously delicious and as an added bonus is gluten-free.

My other favorite training foods:

Raspberry Hammer Gel
Chocolate Chip Cliff Bar
PowerBar Gel Blasts
Gatorade Endurance

What's your favorite?

Despite a 4am wake-up for a day trip to Cincinnati I nailed today's workout - a whole 30 minutes of running, my first since the ill-fated LA Marathon. So far, so great!

Let's Get This Party Started!

2011-04-04T19:30:00.000-04:00

Today marked the beginning of a few things:

Ironman Training!

I was up at 5:30 and in the pool by 6:15 for a workout that kicked my out-of-shape, offseason butt. It involved speedwork, which I don't think I've done since last summer, and had me surprisingly hot for being in cool water. It felt good to do a swim that counted as an actual workout.

A Return to Clean Eating

Remember that 80/20 approach I so passionately shared recently? Let's just say I've been more on the 20/80 plan lately, particularly since the LA Marathon. Part of that was my eat-whatever-my-heart-desires phase, and part was my insane sugar addiction being fueled by massive quantities of sugar. I blame delicious treats such as this.

If you see these, run. Run as fast as you can...

April Dry Spell

No, I'm not talking about the weather, I'm talking about a mini-break from my good friend wine and pretty much everything else in the alcohol family. I'm not giving it up entirely, but have earmarked two special occasions to enjoy freely and will limit consumption to just a couple more glasses during the month. The return to training and upcoming business travel will leave me tired. I figured I owed my body a break.

I feel ready for the changes and look forward to feeling stronger in no time. I have a bike on the schedule tonight, my first double in a very long time. I'll be sure to toast my success with a nice sparkling water post-ride!

"Recovery" Weekend

2011-04-02T10:47:00.005-04:00

Following a big race I usually allow one week of eating and drinking whatever my heart desires. But this time around, I had an unstructured rest period of two weeks to get mentally and physically ready to start Ironman training on April 4. Since I have no training to speak of, I wanted to share my finest recovery meal yet. After all, the only thing I enjoy more than triathlon is food. And wine, of course.

Last night we had dinner at Obelisk in Dupont Circle. Obelisk is a refined Italian restaurant with just 30 seats. There is no sign out front, no website, no Facebook page and no music. Just simplicity. We arrived sufficiently hungry for the seasonally-driven, five-course tasting menu and brought two bottles of wine - a Produttori del Barbaresco 2005 Barbaresco and a 2004 Fratelli Revello Barolo Vigna Conca. But the experience started with a cocktail of vodka, Campari, moscato rosa and lime.

The first course consisted of various antipasti, including the creamy burrata and clams above. There were also marinated peppers and a perfect arrosticini - a skewer of small, beautifully grilled lamb cubes. Just when I thought I had died and gone to heaven the fritto misto arrived - a thin slice of onion and an incredibly delicious sardine.

I was kind of full (let's not talk about the raid I staged on the bread basket...).

But the wine was poured and the meal continued. Next up was the primi, I chose a ravioli stuffed with dandelion greens and watercress with walnuts and a light, brothy sauce. For the secondi I decided on the wagyu beef and did not regret it. Aside from my marathon weekend In-N-Out Burger, I haven't had beef since the holidays and don't plan to eat any for at least a few months. What better way to say farewell than with wagyu? It was truly unreal.

The fourth course was cheese served with a grainy fig jam. Unfortunately there are no photos because (1) I ate it very quickly, and (2) The restaurant was too dark to continue my iPhone photos. Trust me, it was lovely. Dessert was even lovelier, a dried pear and ginger strudel with moscato ice cream.

Of all the restaurants I've been to in DC, this was by far my favorite. I can't recommend it enough if you're in the area and I look forward to making my way back.

While my day was free of any real training, I did spend an hour walking amongst the cherry blossoms. It was windy and chilly, but stunning nevertheless. As much as I enjoy rest and indulgence, I'm looking forward to ending this recovery and kicking off my next phase of training on Monday. Until then, I'm off to find my next meal!

NEWSFLASH - I Swam!

2011-04-01T09:32:00.005-04:00

Since I signed up for Alcatraz, a race with a notoriously difficult swim, I decided it was time to go back to the pool. I reluctantly dragged myself there earlier this week for 30 easy minutes and while I was a bit bored, it wasn't entirely terrible considering I haven't been in the water for over two months, and really not much in the three months before that. Then last night I got to swim here, in a beautiful 50-meter pool that cuts the boredom in half.

I'll be spending the weekend in DC to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday and see some cherry blossoms. There is sure to be a lot of eating and drinking, which means many more trips to the pool since I'm still not cleared to run!

In other news, I had a big health scare with my cat Otis this week. He was sick when I got back from the LA Marathon and it spiraled into extensive tests including X-rays, ultrasound and multiple rounds of blood work. I spent about three days accepting the thought I might lose him, but in the end everything turned out ok. I have never been more relieved and thankful.

Training
Wednesday - Bike, 14.79 miles
Thursday - Swim, 1,500 meters

Stuff I Love: The Vitamix

2011-03-29T20:11:00.004-04:00

I rarely write about products and recently realized I should. After all, a big part of our enjoyment of this sport is fueled by the gear, nutrition and gadgets we have come to rely on so much. And right now I'm in the midst of a love affair with a blender and feel like shouting it from the rooftops. So here we have it, my obsession with the Vitamix.

I recently melted my sad, average blender in a frozen banana smoothie attempt. It was literally smoking and fell apart before my eyes. I've gotten rather fond of smoothies (best breakfast ever!) and was in need of a rapid replacement. A little research revealed the market leaders - the Vitamix and Blendtec. After toiling for days over research, I settled on the Vitamix and have to admit was a little anxious over the sticker shock, but the fans of this blender swear by it.

After having it for a week I can attest it is worth every penny. This thing could grind rocks into a smooth, creamy concoction. You just layer it up with whatever fruit and vegetable goodness you desire and turn it on.

Yesterday morning I turned this:

Into this:

One minute is pretty much the max blending time needed for anything and there are no chunks lingering behind. I'm adding spinach to everything as a sneaky way to eat more greens. I'm also adding things like hemp seed, raw nuts or protein for an added nutritional boost. I even made a raw vegetable soup in it. I don't think I've consumed so much fresh produce in my life. The options are pretty much endless.

The only potential con I have identified is the size. It's gargantuan to put it delicately. It's almost the size of my New York City kitchen but I'm making room for it. I'm relying on the Vitamix to get me back on track after falling SO far off the clean diet wagon. Cheers to that!

Today's Training
Swim: 1,400m, 30:00 (first time in the pool since January... ouch)

Racing Alcatraz for TeamCindy

2011-03-26T21:18:00.003-04:00

Last week I discovered an opportunity to participate in some pretty coveted races through a charity team called TeamCindy. TeamCindy was founded to raise money and awareness for the Brain Aneurysm Foundation and honor the life of triathlete Cynthia Sherwin, who unexpectedly and tragically suffered a fatal brain aneurysm while training for Ironman Lake Placid in 2007. Her story and the cause caught my attention and though I've never raced for charity - and quite honestly have been a little intimidated by it - I wanted to do it. A friend had just shared a deeply personal story about losing her mother to a brain aneurysm and a young friend of mine survived one 10 years ago. Reading about Cindy's life made me think she could be any one of us, it just felt right.

My first instinct was to add Ironman Lake Placid to my roster that already includes two Ironmans, but my coach said that would be "crazy" so I reconsidered and decided on Escape From Alcatraz. Last fall, blogger friend Jon did a bucket list post and an amazing number of people have Alcatraz on their list. I followed up with a similar post and did not include this race. Why? Not because I wasn't interested, I honestly didn't know much about it beyond the fact that the swim is brutal and it's even more brutal to get into.

Now I'm in and I'm incredibly excited, both for the race and the challenge of fundraising. Just think how much more rewarding it will be to toe the line on June 5 knowing I contributed to something important in my own, small way. Here is my fundraising page, please feel free to share with anyone who may also feel this is a cause worth supporting.

I guess I better get back to the pool now!

LA Marathon - The Quick Summary

2011-03-25T21:32:00.005-04:00

Let me sum up my LA Marathon experience in one word - unpleasant. Actually, unpleasant is putting it delicately. I had such high hopes despite my training setbacks and injury, and up to the halfway point I was making decent time. But things went drastically wrong, including hurricane-like weather conditions, so the day did not go as planned. In fact, it was my toughest day of racing yet. I'm working on a full report but thought I'd share a glimpse in the meantime. Here are some photos I felt really captured the day (don't tell MarathonFoto).

Someone actually raced with an umbrella and I love the various attempts at rain gear

The look on my face says it all - world of hurt

After some time to reflect I'm really proud of my accomplishment, and even happier no harm was done health-wise. I also had a really incredible weekend with a friend and that beats a marathon any day. I've thawed out, have been eating and drinking whatever my heart desires, and resting, resting, resting. Stay tuned for the full, gory report in the next couple days, complete with the most humiliating race photos of all time. Oh the humanity.

LA Marathon Preview

2011-03-17T21:36:00.000-04:00

Before you think I did nothing but drink wine and eat burritos while in California on my last visit, I wanted to share some more training-related experiences. After the Vicious Dog 15-Miler, I did a few short-to-medium distance runs leading up to an 18-miler the following weekend. I was at a hotel in West Hollywood for work that happene to be right on the marathon course. It was perfect. I planned to cover 9 or so miles of the course, some in the correct direction and some opposite, as two out and backs.

I got a late start and was feeling less than ideal, but it started out well. As I ran down the hill just out of the hotel I came across this big mural with a little nod to the race.

Next up was Beverly Hills. This part of the course on Santa Monica Boulevard was either dead flat or slightly downhill and quite fun.

A couple turns later and I was on the famous Rodeo Drive, dressed a little beneath the standards required to shop there.

When I hit the freeway I decided to turn around and run off-course in Beverly Hills. The roads were long, wide and flat and the houses were beautiful. What better way to explore than on foot. I just love how polite they are in nice neighborhoods.

Instead of tracing my course back, I decided to stay on Rodeo Drive and explore the residential part well past the fancy shopping. It was uphill and challenging, but fun. I took it all the way back to Sunset and looped back to the hotel. From there I backtracked the course through Hollywood and was abruptly stopped when I hit the Kodak Theater... It was Oscars Sunday. I lingered for a bit to see what I could see, then turned around and headed back.

This run went pretty well considering how I felt, but I totally ran out of steam about 13 miles in. I was dragging by 15. My fueling was poor, I barely slept and my legs felt like bricks. I stopped and sat down at one point, a sure sign you have reached a limit. I thought about quitting, but then thought about the 20 miles I'd be running just 5 days later and pressed on. I've never been more happy to finish a run in my life.

My leg survived run and I wasn't in terrible pain the next day so I considered it a success. Back in New York time passed by in a flash. I did my 20 mile run and it wasn't awful, but the next few days were. I hobbled through some shorter distances and then did a final run of 10 miles last weekend. It was the first time I hit a sub-9 pace in over a month. I cried.

I'm on the plane to LA now, somewhere high over the center of the country. I have mixed feelings about this race. Even though I signed up 100% for fun I'm not sure how running undertrained with an extra 5 pounds and a bum groin will be. My former goal was under 4 hours so I think now 4:15 or less is realistic. Anything to earn my post-race feast at In-N-Out Burger!

Gone, But Not Forgotten

2011-03-08T20:55:00.002-05:00

Blog friends, it's been a long time. I didn't want to blog while on vacation and when I got home, I simply didn't have time. Work was busy, I had running and resting to fit in, and friends I haven't seen nearly enough of. I'm planning to post more details on the trip and updates on my training, but in the meantime, here are some highlights:

The Good

Several days after the 15-mile run in California, I was able to do 18 relatively trouble free. I ran 20 this past Friday and am now in taper.
Wine country was stunning. There really aren't words so I'll post pics.
I ate at phenomenal restaurants and stayed in Justin Bieber's suite at The London in West Hollywood (no worries, Biebs wasn't there).

The Not so Good

This injury persists so I've missed a great deal of running. I'm nailing the long runs (albeit slowly), but the shorter ones in between have been challenging. That means 26.2 is going to hurt. A lot.
After being gone for a week I have more catching up to do than you can imagine. It means long hours and late nights.
Those phenomenal restaurants? I gained a phenomenal 5 pounds. So much for progress!

I'm planning to see a doctor about the injury after the race. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned and disappointed. I have a huge, long season ahead and really want it to be injury free. I won't be able to run the race I was planning and sub-4 is beyond a long shot. But at this point I'm thankful I can still race, and there is a decadent meal at In-N-Out Burger waiting for me at the end. That will have to be enough.

On the Upswing

2011-02-21T13:30:00.006-05:00

After two days of rest and travel to the West Coast I attempted my 15-mile run and was successful in finishing relatively complication free. The biggest challenge wasn't my leg or foot, but a very terrifying encounter with a dog looking pretty much like this, minus the leash.

I saw a different loose dog as I approached so I turned off the iPod, crossed the street and picked up the pace. As I passed the house, there were two smaller dogs in the fence barking furiously but the loose dog was nowhere to be seen. Then seconds later the larger, far scarier beast charged straight toward me and came within inches. I screamed, threw a water bottle at it and leaped into a muddy ditch to put some distance between us. Thankfully he retreated and didn't attack me. This was just before Mile 4 and it took quite some time to regain composure. I was running amongst ranches and lemon groves, stunningly beautiful, but opted to do nearly 9 miles on a 2-lane highway to avoid more loose dogs. Such a shame.

But the leg held up and I was able to pick up the pace in the final 4 miles, a very good sign. I wouldn't say I'm out of the woods just yet, but I feel relieved at being able to get back to the schedule even if cautiously at first. I rewarded myself afterward with some post-run refueling in Ventura.

We drove up to Central Coast wine country in the afternoon and had a lovely evening. It's breathtaking. I could just sit outside and enjoy the view from our outdoor kitchen that is roughly twice the size of my entire New York City apartment.

We lit a fire, assembled a snack buffet and enjoyed some of the day's purchases before sleeping 9 blissful hours. Vacation is a wonderful thing.

One Day You're Up, The Next You're Down. So Very Down

2011-02-17T23:12:00.003-05:00

What a week. Work exploded and I had to retreat from the blog world and other lovely things like eating properly and sleeping. I have never felt so thinly spread in my life, not even during the final build for Ironman so that's saying a lot. I'm a master at juggling and I managed to keep most items in life afloat (minus the sleep thing). So looking back on the past 7 days, it started at an absolute high and has ended at an absolute low.

Last Friday I received these at work and can't tell you how many times I smiled this week at the sight of them. Sometimes I'm a sappy, girly romantic (ok, all the time) despite the spandex and snot rocketing. It started my weekend on a very high note.

I had a good long run in Central Park that day, followed by an incredibly fun dinner and night out with a good friend. I went to Core Fusion the next day and hopped on the train to Westchester for another great night out with a friend. Sunday was busy, but productive and happy. I had another great run, a speed work session. Life was good.

Then I woke up Monday to a nagging pain in my groin and figured it was nothing. I ran again, this time it was horrible, and work simultaneously blew up. I couldn't sleep and each day made me feel less and less like a human being. By yesterday I was in a foggy stupor and wondered how I'd keep going. But I managed to get to another core class, keep handling work, pack and prepare for my next Cali trip, and attempt another run.

Only the run didn't go well. I started out stiff and the groin pain increased as I continued. At times I didn't notice it at all, but if I stopped at a traffic light and started up again it was severe. Sitting at my desk was fine, walking around the office was unbearable. It seems to be Pubic Symphisitis (yeah folks, I don't make this shit up) and it is likely from running on black ice in less than ideal conditions and forcing my hips to stabilize. I should have just stuck to the treadmill.

I'm trying not to let it get me down. I am flying to LA tomorrow so it's a rest day, and Saturday I'll attempt a long run. I hope it goes well. I'm in my final build for the marathon so if I have to take an extended rest I'm out of the race. I've had enough 26.2 mile slogs to not need another so I won't force this race if it wasn't meant to be. Please cross your fingers for me.

The Diet Debate

2011-02-09T21:45:00.002-05:00

Over the past few years, food has become a hot topic. It felt like everyone was reading or talking about The Omnivore's Dilemma. Many of us started questioning what we ate and realized we weren't as healthy as once thought. Then Food, Inc. came along and rocked our worlds. If you had the same reaction as I, you never saw food the same again and hopefully never ate certain things again.

Beyond exploring the origins of food, multiple theories about diet began surfacing. The Paleo Diet claims to be how we were born to eat. The China Study and upcoming film Forks Over Knives make the case for eliminating animal products entirely to combat chronic disease. More and more people are experimenting with vegetarian and even vegan lifestyles. And on the extreme end of the spectrum are the fruitarians (30 bananas a day... no joke).

How do you wade through the mountains of information and land on the right approach for you?

I've shared bits of my personal journey to better eating over the past year, often in the form of complaints or frustration. In mid-2009 I gave up all refined sugar and grains, opting for a much cleaner approach to eating. This was to increase fat metabolism and improve body composition for my first Ironman. While I desperately missed pasta, bread and chocolate, it worked. I looked and felt better than ever before and it wasn't that challenging of a change.

Following the race, I lapsed back to my old eating habits and paid the price with how I looked and felt in 2010. After struggling through two more Ironmans at sub-optimal race weight and a gluttonous offseason (see this post about a week of eating in Wisconsin, it sums it up nicely) I decided to make a change. I started with a 5-day juice cleanse to kick start a better approach to 2011 and was surprised by the results. Not only did I lose weight I have since kept off, but it drastically changed how I eat. I had to phase out sugar, alcohol, caffeine, animal protein and dairy prior to the cleanse and ease back very gradually post-cleanse. Around that time I started dating a mostly vegetarian so some foods never made it back into my diet. I had a tenfold increase in my vegetable consumption and while I've had coffee occasionally, I'm not the cracked out addict I was before.

So what does all of this mean? As an athlete I think it's incredibly hard to strike the right diet balance. We're told to eat carbs and unfortunately tend to seek highly refined sources. We're told we need protein so we overload on chicken breasts. Vegetables are lower in calories and lack "substance" so we consume far less than we should. Most of us do ok with this approach and are healthy for the most part, but I felt I could do better.

I still indulge, particularly when I go out to dinner and travel. I drink wine... a lot of wine. I eat cheese when the mood strikes even though I gave up dairy. I eat chocolate just about daily. I eat really good bread when the opportunity presents itself. I eat fish occasionally and turkey, chicken or pork even less occasionally, and since none are the mainstays of my diet, I enjoy them so much more. I feel better, I've lost 11 pounds since mid-December and am on track to reach my ideal race weight by Spring. I still haven't figured out where I live in the diet spectrum - not quite Paleo because I eat unrefined grains; not quite vegetarian because I occasionally eat meat. Since food is a passion, I'll never take it too seriously and will aim for 80-85% "good" and 15-20% "fun." Seems like a great compromise to me.

Happy People Come From California

2011-02-07T19:48:00.007-05:00

Woke up in wintry NYC, spent my afternoon here

I've decided it's not just the cows that are happy in California, it has to be everyone unless they've never bothered to pause and notice how perfect the weather is. Just in time to stave off seasonal affect disorder, I had three blissful days in Southern California visiting Brian and relaxing. It was the perfect combination of doing fun things that were incredibly laid back and doing absolutely nothing, which was so nice for a change.

Afternoon picnic in Malibu

With early travel and a leisurely day picnicking on the beach and drinking wine, Friday was rest. Saturday was my long run so I went to Santa Monica and ran South along the beach to Venice and back. The scenery was beautiful and the sun was shining, but I felt awful. I had a nasty cold all week and didn't do a bit of running, plus I was totally under fueled and paid for it. I still managed to enjoy it and finished it with a 60-minute massage. So not a bad day.

Sunday afternoon sunset on the roof

Sunday was pure relaxation. We slept late, had the best pancakes ever and lounged in the sun for hours. We climbed onto the roof for sunset and sipped wine, enjoying my last evening before flying back to New York. Sometimes doing nothing is more enjoyable than something and it's nice to slow down and take it all in. Even though I was on the red-eye and in the office all day I feel completely refreshed. I'd say that was the perfect weekend.

Silver Linings

2011-02-03T20:33:00.003-05:00

During every race plan I seem to have rough patches where the best laid plans go totally awry. But rarely do the patches include a bright side. This week was the exception. Thankfully it was a rest week so I didn't miss anything critical, and ultimately gained a few things. Here's what happened:

Monday - Came down with the latest viral plague circulating NYC. I skipped a 30' easy recovery bike, no big deal. Stayed up late packing for a Wednesday business trip to New Orleans followed by a fun weekend trip to California.
Tuesday - Felt like a bus ran me over. Skipped another 30' easy bike and had hell break loose at work as Snowpocalypse Part III proceeded to force us to cancel the New Orleans event. I was left with no way to get to CA from NYC so I quickly found a solution and salvaged my weekend. Silver Lining Number #1.
Wednesday - On the mend but instead of Snowpocalypse, we were blanketed in ice making the day miserable. My coach advised me not to run or bike, but said I could go to Core Fusion if I felt up to it. Silver Lining #2. I went and absolutely loved it. I also finished packing and was totally ready to go for my sunny weekend getaway.
Thursday - Started the day with an early Core Fusion class and had my running stuff packed up for a post-work treadmill session. The day turned to crap and I worked 11 hours so the last thing I felt like was the dreadmill. I came home and had wine instead.

I made it to Core Fusion 4 times this week, which was my goal, so I may not have done any marathon training but I discovered something new that will benefit me not only in my sport, but also in my life. And the best part about this week is that it's ending in California (Silver Lining #3). I arrive tomorrow morning and intend to completely check out and enjoy my time there.

Core Fusion: My New Obsession

2011-01-30T20:52:00.002-05:00

Every offseason I vow to do more strength training, particularly core work, but never do. I find it boring and painful. Enter Core Fusion. I heard about this workout from a friend and immediately wanted to sign up. It's a technique combining the Lotte Berk Method, Pilates, core conditioning and cardio. The classes are heralded as one of the best workouts and said to yield unbelievable results.

I finally got the motivation to give it a shot in December, but holiday parties, travel and gluttony interfered. So I picked up the DVD and figured I'd test it out while traveling. I'm not the DVD workout kind of girl, but it seemed acceptable given I'd be out of town. After my first try I was in hideous pain for 3 days and I didn't even do the full body routine. Being the glutton for punishment that I am, I was hooked.

I finally made it to my first class over the weekend and it completely kicked my ass. I can run a marathon, do an Ironman and suffer through hours and hours of training, but I can't do simple, basic core moves. I was reduced to a burning, shaking pool of sweat by the end of class. I was humbled.

I went into class stiff and sore from Friday's long run so by Saturday night I was experiencing a new level of burn. Everything hurt - my shoulders, all parts of my back, my biceps, triceps, thighs, abs and muscles I didn't even know I had. So naturally I got up and did it again this morning and loved every minute (except for the minute or two I almost cried).

I only have 2 more days before leaving town and my one-week trial will end. I'll buy a package of classes to continue when I return and will hopefully have results to report in a few weeks.

Sixteen Dreadmill Miles

2011-01-28T23:13:00.002-05:00

Snowpocalypse part III struck New York Wednesday and left me stranded at a hotel in the financial district unable to make it home after an event. It also left me unable to do my long run outside today so I had a choice: skip it (just like I skipped the previous 3 days' workouts) or suck it up and run 16 long miles on the dreadmill (aka the treadmill, for those who actually enjoy running indoors).

Thankfully the experience ended up being more tolerable than expected and went by surprisingly fast. I planned to break it up into parts - 6, 5 and 5, with a short break in between, but had forgotten that my programs the treadmills to stop after 30 minutes. So instead I paused for just a minute after each 30-minute interval to record my mileage and mentally regroup for the next one. This ended up working very well because it kept me from taking breaks, forced me to maintain a more consistent pace and made the miles fly by.

So what did I do for 2 hours, 18 minutes and 59 seconds while running?

Analyzed the lovely shade of blue the wall in front of me was painted. Note to self: try very hard to get a treadmill in front of the windows next time. You can only read the 5 rules of the fitness facility so many times.
Browsed through two catalogs. I figured I could get some shopping done and feel less guilty about throwing the catalog into the recycling without looking at it first.
Went through every song on my iPod and had to repeat a few. Must update running mix.
Found crafty ways to keep going when my 30-minutes was up, even when there were people waiting. I love breaking the rules.
Learned how to text and email on my iPhone without slowing my pace or falling.
Sweated approximately 3 pounds of my body weight.

I did 16 miles at an 8:41 average pace, which is pretty good for me these days. I used to be faster and hope to get back there someday, but for now I'll settle for injury-free and average. I'd also settle for the snow melting and the temp staying above 30, but that's highly unlikely. Just 6 more days before my next trip to California!

Manhattan Half-Marathon: An Epic PW

2011-01-22T22:24:00.007-05:00

I like to think if you're going to fail, do it with flair and have a great story to tell. That's exactly what I did today at the Manhattan Half-Marathon, aka the coldest, most miserable, excruciating, slow, brutal race. Did I mention miserable? Runners love to talk about setting a PR (personal record), but what about a PW (personal worst)?

My friend Beth came up from Philly to join me for a second time at this race. It was 14 degrees and brutal the first time around so why we thought it would be fun to do it again is beyond me. She arrived Friday evening and the revelry began. We had two years of catching up to do over many glasses of wine, and suffice it to say we behaved exactly how one shouldn't behave before a race.

With Beth at our final celebration spot

We went to sleep around 12:30am slightly inebriated and set the alarm for 30 minutes before the race. I'm not sure if I simply selected the wrong time or if I thought we'd be magically teleported to Central Park, but it was never going to get us there on time. Plus we had to pick up our numbers and timing chips at a completely different location before 7:30. I was awakened by Beth saying, "Kristin, it's 6:54." We had seconds to decide if we'd attempt to make it or do what we really wanted to do, which was go back to sleep. But our adventurous sides won and we dressed and ran out the door in 10 minutes flat. A very impressive performance.

Best pre-race dinner EVER

Wearing yesterday's makeup and still feeling a little buzzed we realized we'd have to skip number pick-up and go straight to the race. We wouldn't have official times but neither of us cared. We suddenly bought ourselves enough free time to stop for coffee, an absolutely brilliant decision. We sweet talked race officials into checking our bag even though we had no official proof we were racing and strolled to the start about 10 minutes late. I was in denial I'd have to drag my hungover self around Central Park twice and then just for fun, run an extra mile.

The race went exactly how you'd expect it to go under these circumstances. I started out at a respectable 8:50 pace but spent too much time fighting back the urge to vomit so I eased up. For an idea of how my stomach felt, check out this blog on the running phenomenon the blogger coined "burfing." I settled into a consistent 9:15-9:30 pace, a full minute slower per mile than I should be running. My legs felt like lead and I saw my life flash before my eyes on the hills. Then somewhere around Mile 5 my pace went from ridiculously slow to glacial. I could barely move myself forward. I actually thought about bagging the race after one loop but the thought of sitting around in the freezing cold waiting for Beth made me push on. I hit 13.1 miles in about 2:05:00 and completed 14 in 2:14:00.

The positives about this race:

About every 20 minutes I burst into laughter at the memory of our crazy morning and the crazy night that got us there. It was priceless. I think my fellow runners thought I was insane.
The 14 degree temp sobered me up lightning fast.
By Mile 9 my hangover was completely gone.
One year ago I couldn't run. I was still fighting through the final phase of recovery from my torn PF. Even a miserably cold hangover run is a gift.
You can't take everything so seriously. Having a fun night with a friend and managing to do the race, even if not ideally, is far better than not enjoying and embracing life's moments.
I shared it with a good friend and will definitely remember this one.

And the best thing of all is the brunch we ate afterward. This, my friends, is reason enough to drag yourself out of bed and go for a run. It was followed up by a two-hour nap and a very relaxing evening in pajamas with the cat. So in the end, this might have been the perfect day.

All mine, and I had a donut for dessert

California Dreamin'

2011-01-19T23:42:00.000-05:00

In Santa Ynez wine country with Brian

What a weekend. I couldn't take time away from fun and sun to blog so you'll have to settle for the brief summary: it was AMAZING! The weather couldn't have been more perfect, the running was spectacular and I had a really incredible host.

Sun setting in Ventura

I logged more than 20 miles including a 14-mile trail run in Sycamore Canyon that culminated with 30 minutes in total darkness and an encounter with a large animal... Coyote? Mountain lion? Who knows, but it made me run faster despite having no ability to see the ground.

Driving to Santa Ynez

We went to Santa Ynez wine country and hit some of the "Sideways" spots. We walked on the beach, watched beautiful sunsets and drank tons of wine. And I slept in. A lot. Does it get any better?

Sideways tour - no Merlot!

I'm now even more thankful I'm doing the LA Marathon. I have incentive to keep up the training and get back to sunny California. But it looks like I won't have to wait that long, there are already plans for another Winter escape next month!

Long walk on the beach

Escape From Winter

2011-01-13T15:13:00.005-05:00

What a crazy week. One minute it was Monday and then suddenly it was today and I was on my way to California for a long, sun-filled weekend. I'll be north of Los Angeles where I'm expecting the daily temps to exceed 70 degrees. I may have only packed two things suitable for that warm but I don't care. I'm so tired of being cold! This is a much-needed break that will include some beautiful outdoor running. And hopefully a lot of wine drinking.

Be jealous my friends. Very, very jealous.

I've taken the liberty of rest days on my optional bike/swim days due to a busy week. When given the choice between an extra 1.5 hours of sleep or a spin on the trainer, I'd rather sleep. Unfortunately I had my first missed run this week, a missed a run this week, a progressive 5-miler slated for Tuesday. I was exhausted in the morning and getting home at 9pm made it very unappealing.

I'll be in California for the next 4 days and then I'm off to Cincinnati for business. It will be 40 degrees cooler and I'll be back on the treadmill so I plan to make the most of this weekend!

Hard to Swallow

2011-01-09T18:50:00.004-05:00

You'd think after a week of consuming the same juices day in and day out that I'd wake up Saturday morning and hit the bagel shop as a reward for all the discipline. I was pretty hungry Friday night due to the morning run and staying up really late, but surprisingly I woke up Saturday with barely an appetite. I waited about an hour and finally had this:

Green apple with almond butter

I made it through about 3/4 of the apple and was stuffed. I decided to stay off the caffeine so I had a cup of decaf and hated it. What happened to my taste buds??? I had a banana about an hour later and lunch about 2 hours after that. Lunch made me very happy:

Brown rice, avocado and poached egg with hot sauce

Sounds strange but tastes amazing. It's become a go-to snack, especially after long workouts. The avocado's creamy texture and the spicy hot sauce were such a pleasure after all that juice.

I had a big salad and half a baked sweet potato for dinner and had to call it a day. My stomach wouldn't accept anymore. I hit just under 1,300 calories, which is low for an athlete, but good coming off a 1,000 calorie per day cleanse. I also treated myself to two glasses of barolo. After not having a drink for a week I deserved it. The wine went straight to my head, seems I'm now a cheap date.

My long run was today and to say it was cold would be an understatement. I know it's waaaaay colder in other parts of the country, but I'm a New Yorker and I can only handle so much. It was 29, which doesn't seem bad, but the feels like temp was 17 and that was due to the icy wind gusting off the East river. I had to change directions when the wind finally ripped my hat off and I felt like I was running straight uphill. I was pretty flat given the lack of glycogen stores, but managed to stay just below a 9:00 pace average for 12 miles, about 20-30 seconds per mile slower than my usual. But I rank all of my runs on pain level and today, there was none. My feet seem to be cooperating for now.

Cleanse Day 5: The End

2011-01-07T21:16:00.002-05:00

Well, I did it. I stuck to the plan, I didn't cheat and I didn't sleep in and skip my training either. I opted to only do the running this week since my swimming and biking are active recovery at this point and my coach didn't want me burning precious calories. But I nailed the 3 run workouts that fell within my cleanse and logged 17 miles.

Today was another 6 mile run, an effort I was honestly a little skeptical about. Everyone warned me that my energy would be at rock bottom by the last day and there was no way I'd be able to run nearly an hour. I woke up feeling pretty flat and as I jogged to the gym (it was snowing and slippery, yet again) I felt pretty wretched and my legs burned walking up the stairs to the locker room. I figured I'd aim to hit 3 and call it a day. But after easing in I felt fine and my energy actually improved toward the end so I decided to go for the full 6 and pick up the pace. It's still way slower than the pace I usually run, but considering I'm consuming 1,050 calories per day I was pretty happy.

I stopped at the market to buy some avocados, something I am very much looking forward to for tomorrow, and decided to pick up a bunch of vegetables to help ease me out of the cleanse. As I put them away, I had my first pangs of sadness that I couldn't eat them. I'm still not hungry, in fact I have zero appetite, but that arugula looked so good and I imagined it drizzled with my really good olive oil and fleur de sel. I stood right next to the pastry case while waiting to pay and even that didn't phase me, which means it's a good thing this cleanse is almost over. Vegetables should never be more crave-worthy than cake.

Why Cleanse?

2011-01-06T19:00:00.002-05:00

A few people have asked why I'm doing this cleanse and what the benefits are so I thought I'd share more about that today. I have been wanting to do this for quite some time, but being an Ironman triathlete logging 15 or so hours of training a week means you can't even think about it. I did two Ironmans last year so there was never a good time and it kept getting put off further and further. It would be suicide to attempt it in December during Holiday mania, so the first of the year felt right.

I've had 3 really fun months of offseason life, doing all of the things you can't do or aren't supposed to do while training, which included drinking too much, staying up too late and eating all the wrong foods. If you don't take a break, you'll go crazy, so I have no regrets (well, except for maybe the 10 pounds I gained... oops) but there comes a point where you just need to start over. Enter the cleanse.

There are many types of cleanses you can do ranging from fasts where you consume primarily water to nutritional cleanses that are largely food based. I wanted to really take a break so I opted for a liquid nutritional cleanse so I wouldn't be in total calorie deprivation and experience serious detox symptoms. Breaking my caffeine addiction was bad enough. The idea behind cleansing, particularly liquid-based cleanses, is that by allowing your body to divert energy away from digestion it can work harder to clear your system of toxins. Cleansing is also a spiritual tradition in many cultures, usually done as a fast.

My hope was that I would come out of this experience feeling refreshed, feeling like I rid myself of bad offseason habits, and have a different appreciation for food. I also wanted to feel I had accomplished something because besides the training conflicts, I avoided this because I thought I couldn't do it. I didn't think I had the discipline and as it turns out, I do. I don't think there is anything more satisfying than doing things you thought weren't possible.

I am just about done with Day 4 and my second day of liquid only. I feel really good, still no cravings and I'm even less hungry than before. Someone asked me today what my first solid food would be on Saturday morning and I honestly hadn't thought about it. You can't break a cleanse with a huge meal so I imagine it will be something simple and small, and just might include that almond butter I was thinking about yesterday.

Cleanse Day 3: Surprising Willpower

2011-01-05T21:27:00.002-05:00

I completed Day 3, which was also my first day of juice only. I was concerned about how I'd feel without any solid food and ended up pleasantly surprised. The day started with an incredible 6 mile run. I slept like a rock last night, most likely due to ridding my system of caffeine, and woke up immediately when my alarm went off. I was a little nervous based on yesterday's run, but was told to pull the plug early if I needed so I gave it a shot. I deliberately slowed the pace and unlike yesterday, I wasn't desperately waiting for it to end. I felt great and for lack of a better word, really calm. I had about a quarter of my first juice immediately after and waited until 9 to start the rest of the day's schedule.

I felt really good all day. My energy level was strong and the caffeine detox symptoms seem to be gone. And for the first time in this cleanse, I wasn't hungry at all aside for the time between Juices 1 and 2 from the run. I also realized I haven't had any major cravings yet. I did have a lovely thought about almond butter for a fleeting second, but it passed as quickly as it appeared. I don't feel deprived and the sense of satisfaction from doing this and sticking to it is really satisfying. I felt pretty toxic from the past 3 months of offseason living and needed a break. This is giving it to me.

It's one thing to sit in my office with the door closed all day and not look at people's lunches, but it's another to put myself in a place where I'm surrounded by food and drink. I joined a girlfriend for a drink after work, which included her drinking two beautiful glasses of wine in front of me while I sipped green juice and still water with lemon. I can't even have sparkling! People were eating all sorts of deliciousness around us and I realized I didn't mind. I didn't feel cheated and wasn't at all tempted. That was the best feeling of all.

I know I'm being judged for doing this while training for a marathon, but I had decided to do this long before the marathon was even happening. My training and racing are really important but they aren't the only things in my life. A friend really challenged me on it today and I told him this is something I needed to do for me the person, not me the athlete. Sometimes we have to make those choices and for now, I don't regret this one.

Cleanse Day 2: Interesting Ups and Downs

2011-01-04T15:19:00.005-05:00

Here is a glimpse of Day 2 of the cleanse.

5:45am - Wow, I felt pretty good despite the fact I had to get up 3 times to pee in the night. Oh, and I did have chills on and off again.
6:15am - Out the door for a run. Would I really be able to do it? First couple miles weren't so bad, but I eventually had to slow the pace down.
7:15am - Oh. My. God. I couldn't feel my legs and when I finally stopped I had a massive head rush that took a few seconds to pass. But I did it! Five miles and not an entirely embarrassing pace.
9:00am - Had my first juice, it was like sweet nectar from heaven even though it's essentially a ground up salad. I felt amazing. Who needs coffee???
11:30am - Time for juice #2 and I was starving. Felt fine within minutes of starting it.
12:00pm - Oh boy... is that caffeine withdrawal setting in? It felt like someone was squeezing my head and I was still hungry. And tired. And crabby. And couldn't focus. Not good.
1:30pm - Thank god for juice #3. The caffeine symptoms were subsiding as well. I felt better. Not great, but better.
3:30pm - Juice #4 and all was right with the world. I was suddenly awake, headache was gone and I no longer felt like gnawing off a finger.
5:30pm - Had my first solid food, a small raw "juice bar." I actually held out 30 minutes longer than needed.
7:30pm - My final dinner. Tonight's was a yellow bell pepper and thyme soup and a collard wrap with lemon-herb vegetables. Nothing is cooked, everything is cold, but surprisingly good. I'm holding out for my tiny dessert, cinnamon mousse.

As of right now I feel good. I had a couple rough patches for sure but thankfully each passed quickly. I have no doubt I'll have some serious challenges in the next few days given this is my sole nutritional content.

I'm not sure if it's all the vegetables or just the satisfaction of having the discipline to do this and resist temptation, but it's making me feel amazing. Not in a physical sense necessarily (not yet), but as an accomplishment. I've often considered myself too lacking in willpower to handle a challenge like this.

I'm going to attempt a 6 mile run tomorrow. I'm running a mile outside and the rest at the gym in case I don't feel well. My coach told me to see how I feel and pull the plug after 4 or 5 if I'm not up to it. Fingers crossed, hopefully this mousse has some agave nectar in it!

Fresh Start

2011-01-03T19:07:00.005-05:00

Today it began. The cleanse I've been contemplating, but could never seem to find the right time or enough courage to attempt. Starting a cleanse immediately following the holidays isn't the best timing due to the higher level of detox, but it's perfect for kick-starting the year on the right foot. I eased into it ever so slightly by cutting my coffee intake to one cup (vs. the 2-4 roasty cups I prefer) over several days, not eating any meat after my 5am burger on New Year's Eve/Day, increasing my fruit and vegetable consumption, and throwing out every bit of food that would tempt me. I was ready.

I'm doing the Blueprint Cleanse and am starting with 2 days of Juice 'til Dinner and then will advance to 3 days of the Foundation level cleanse, which consists of only juice. The 2 days of juice with a small amount of raw, vegan food will make the 3 days of juice a little easier to stomach. Or so I hope.

Blueprint makes it incredibly easy to cleanse, all you need to supply is the willpower. My first 2 days arrived Sunday afternoon neatly packed up. It was scary to see 2 entire days worth of food in such a small box.

Here is what a day on Juice 'til Dinner looks like. When I transition to Foundation I'll have the same 4 juices here, plus an additional green juice and a cashew milk, which I hear tastes like pure heaven after all of that juice.

I'm aiming to stick to this 100%, I even gave up coffee and so far am not suffering from the awful withdrawal symptoms. There are "cheat foods" listed for the juice days if you really can't take it, but I plan to do my best to see this through. I know I'll feel a million times better at the end of the week. Once I finish the Foundation cleanse I'll ease out over the course of another week, starting with mostly fruits and vegetables and slowly adding foods back in.

My training may suffer a little due to diminished energy levels, but I'm going to do my best to keep it up at a lower intensity. I had a challenging 10.5 mile run yesterday so I opted to give the legs a rest today and take a long walk with a friend instead.

Send some willpower my way!

2010: Year in Reflection

2010-12-31T12:29:00.002-05:00

As 2010 draws to a close, it's time to look back at goals - both met and unmet, challenges, experiences and successes. This was a year that took me from the Vancouver Winter Olympics to Napa Valley, to my first race since the injury to Ironman training, to Italy by bike and eventually the most incredible Ironman experiences I could have wished for - a 13:31 finish in Lake Placid and a 12:48 finish just 7 weeks later in Wisconsin, the ultimate comeback and a PR of more than 3 hours. It was a year that presented personal ups and downs, but each challenge was another opportunity to grow and I ended up in a good place. So how did the numbers stack up?

Bike: 4,094.81 miles, 268h 31m 22s
Run: 553.98 miles, 93h 49m 45s
Swim: 82,723 yards, 30h 27m 07s

I biked nearly 800 miles more than 2009, but fell short of my 5,000 mile goal. Next year. I ran 164 miles less due to injury recovery, but had two really amazing marathons. The swim? Let's just say I was at the pool less than half as much as I should have been.

I used to be obsessed with numbers but not so much anymore. I truly lived my life to the fullest in 2010 and made risky decisions for my races in order to prioritize my non-tri life. I have no regrets. 2010 was an incredibly rewarding year and I can only look forward to even bigger and better things in 2011.

Because it's so hard to put into words, here are 100 photos from some of my favorite moments in 2010.

What are your most memorable moments? Happy New Year everyone!

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-28T23:07:00.006-05:00

How ironic is it that I'm in a place where it snows all the time, even when it's snowing nowhere else, yet we haven't seen a flake and where I'm from, where snow makes national news, they are buried in a blizzard? That has been my experience in Michigan while my home in New York has essentially been in lockdown. I'm scheduled to travel back tomorrow and I'd be lying if I said I weren't a little bit concerned. After the hell I had getting here I figure I have some good travel karma coming my way, right?

While it may not have snowed during my week here, there was a great deal of snow on the ground when I arrived. This part of the country is incredibly beautiful in the snow. It's rather idyllic and looks like how winter should be. I don't miss driving through blizzards and on sheets of ice, but I do miss experiencing winter in a way that doesn't cripple a major metropolis. Because the snow wasn't fresh, I've had a chance to run outside a lot and have enjoyed every step. Sure it's cold, but I grew up here so I'm tough (ok, I'm not, but let's pretend like I am). I snapped a few shots during today's run to capture the feeling. And I need a break occasionally. What can I say, I'm pretty beat up from the cookies, wine, ribs and other deliciousness.

Scenes From My Run

The holidays definitely made my fitness challenges even more challenging, but I managed to maintain the weight I arrived at, which isn't so bad all things considered. Beyond that I have had three great runs - 4 miles on Christmas day, 9 miles on the 26th and 5 miles today. I'm running 4 more in the morning before attempting to return to New York, and I also went to the gym and swam once. All in all, not a bad holiday break. I'm sad to leave my family, but looking forward to getting back on a schedule. How did your holiday training go?

The Delta Pilferage Report

2010-12-26T19:27:00.002-05:00

By now you've probably guessed I had a fairly rotten travel experience with Delta this Christmas. I shared part one of the debacle in Thursday's post but opted to retain the rest of the story until after the holiday, and what shred of feel-good spirit I had, was finished. Here is a chronological timeline of events:

Thursday, December 23

Finally arrived in South Bend after 10 hours of travel. I was elated to be home.
Got to baggage claim and the bags were out in record time. I was thinking it might be the first stroke of luck I'd had all day.
Alas, no bag.
Went to the Delta counter where they informed me my bag was listed in the system as having arrived in South Bend. Yeah, not quite accurate. They agreed it was absurd that a bag with a four hour layover didn't make the flight. I got a file number and called it a night.

Friday, December 24

My brother picked up my sister at the airport around 11am and stopped at the Delta counter for an update. They said my bag would be on the next flight, approximately one hour.
My brother went back two hours later and still no bag. Now it was in Cincinnati.
I called Delta repeatedly and not only was my file number not in the system, no one had a clue what was going on. All flights were full and at weight capacity so my bag remained in an airport - maybe Detroit? Maybe Cincinnati? Who knew.
The family Christmas celebration started. I was in the same clothes as the day before and had no gifts for anyone. How festive.

Saturday, December 25

My cell phone rang at 7am... it was a baggage delivery person from Delta just miles away with my bag. I sprang out of bed, totally relieved.
I quickly checked to be sure the multiple gift cards I packed were still there. They were. I went back to sleep.
A few hours later I decided to unpack. This is when things went South yet again. My Garmin 405 and iPod were missing. Merry F'ing Christmas.
I waited a few hours for a friend to go by my apartment and see if I'd left the two items by mistake. I hadn't.
I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with Delta reporting a claim and was instructed to fill out a Damage/Pilferage form as soon as possible. Pilferage - such a delicate way to say "theft by our employees."
Most of my Christmas day was spent sitting on the phone, filling out forms, copying luggage tags, etc. Good times.
Delta informed me I likely won't be reimbursed since the items stolen were electronics. What exactly do they reimburse for then???

Needless to say, this experience affected my enjoyment of the holidays. I tried to keep a positive attitude but it felt like one blow after another and the fact that Delta wasn't bending over backwards to make up for it really disappointed me. There is no excuse for such epic failure during the holidays when they know they will be busier than ever. They should have been prepared.

I tried to shake it off by heading out for a run since I finally had my shoes and clothes. It definitely lifted my spirits and I got right back on track with my marathon training, including my long run today. I did 9 miles in the frigid wind and have never felt better. No pain, no fatigue and I actually enjoyed it.

It will be about 4-6 weeks before my claim is settled, but I think I know the outcome. The moral of this story is carry on when you can and lock up your luggage. You never know who is going through your personal things.

Christmas in Michigan

2010-12-25T20:15:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! This has definitely been a challenging one for me (details of the culmination of my unpleasant Delta experience will be shared tomorrow) but the most important thing is that I'm with my family. We had a white Christmas in Michigan from past snowfall, but have yet to get new snow. I believe it's on its way. We've enjoyed seeing my 2.5 year old nephew experience all the joy of Christmas as only a child could and have enjoyed far too many incredible treats. I could barely sleep last night due to the cookie, cheese and wine overload. But since my bag finally arrive this morning I was able to go running today and earn a few more cookies.

Hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend and forgetting about training for just a moment. We can start back up on Monday!

Bending the Rules

2010-12-23T18:40:00.004-05:00

Today was a busy, busy holiday travel day. I got up at 7am to be sure I could fit in all that needed to be done - finish packing, pick up the laundry, buy cat food, go to the bank, finish cleaning the apartment, scoop the litter box (ugh) and fit in some sort of workout. I opted for a trainer ride and dove back into Season 5 of Lost. Good choice.

I was clicking right along on schedule and had a plan to be on the street hailing a cab by 1:00. Miraculously I was. And more miraculously a cab appeared within minutes. My lucky day... or so I thought. I was digging through my enormous bag for something and didn't notice he had missed a turn and was going the absolutely worst possible way. I immediately told him he needed to take a different street but it was too late, we were in parking lot traffic with a series of one-ways all going the wrong way. So what does he do? Just one block before the destination street he decides to turn, and we end up going right back to where we started! I was beyond furious and at this point he had wasted 20 minutes and 15 dollars. I started to suspect I wouldn't make it to the airport.

We got on the BQE and all was good, we were making decent time and there was a sliver of a chance. But that sliver crumbled when we approached LaGuardia and came to a screeching halt - accident on the Grand Central Parkway right in front of the airport. Learn to drive people!!! The 10 minute crawl to the terminal crushed my chances of making my 2:37 flight. I was exactly 3 minutes past the baggage check deadline and Delta would not budge. So I called the re-booking line while I waited in line and was given some very bad news. I would have to take another taxi home only to return at 5am for the 6am flight, which I'd also have the pleasure of paying an extra few hundred bucks for. Seriously???

But I refuse to give up so easily so I waited in line until I finally reached a real, live Delta agent. And to my good fortune, she was an angel. She immediately felt sorry for me and wanted to help. I suggested they let me go on the 2:37 and send my bag on the 4:30 since there was only one connecting flight in Detroit and it wasn't until 7:40. She brought a supervisor over to try to make it happen and luckily he felt sorry for me as well. He couldn't break the TSA rule of putting a bag on a plane without a passenger but he was willing to try to get me and my bag on the flight. He took me to the front of the security line and told me to toss out all of the liquids in my to-be-checked bag - bye bye hundreds of dollars of girly products - and take the bag to the gate where they would be waiting for me. I cut the security line and got dirty looks from fellow passengers, but sailed right through and was at the gate on time.

And then guess what? The flight was delayed an hour and they ended up gate checking just about everyone's bags for free... I'm the sucker who paid $23. But it was a small price to pay to not spend Christmas in Brooklyn alone with my cat. I'm now about 1.5 hours into my 2.5 hour layover in Detroit, sipping wine at the Vino Volo wine bar. I'm undoing yesterday's cleanse for sure, but it's the holidays and travel hell time, I can't help it. I'll be home with my family in about 3 hours.

I have a lot of running to do this week as I ease into my marathon training. I'll tackle 9 this weekend and will no doubt be thankful to be burning some holiday calories.

Happy holidays to everyone, wherever your travels and celebrations may take you!

What's Another 26.2?

2010-12-22T18:09:00.002-05:00

A 70.3 in Southern California sounded pretty nice. I mentioned it to a friend who lives in LA. She suggests I join her for the LA Marathon. The 70.3 was sold out. And there you have it my friends, I'm now signed up to run a marathon in 88 days. I think we all know what I've been up to for the past 88 days so I've got a lot of work ahead of me. But before you think I'm impulsive, foolish, crazy (ok, maybe 2 out of 3 could apply), I did check with my coach to be sure I wouldn't be setting myself up for massive failure and injury. He's pretty conservative and he felt I could do it and actually do it well if I were committed. So I am. I started this week and will make it my primary focus for the next 3 months.

Perhaps the best thing about this is the giant push to stop being lazy. I needed it and couldn't find it with my first big race 10 months away. It has also forcing me to stop the holiday indulging. I was on very good behavior Sunday, Monday and Tuesday aside from some drinks Monday and a little chocolate in the office Tuesday. I'm down 3 pounds - 12 to go. I've also been far more consistent with the workouts.

In preparation for a long day of travel and the impending Christmas eating, I did one day of the Blueprint Cleanse's Juice 'til Dinner. I wanted to wake up Thursday feeling good and was so busy today I didn't have time to eat anyway. I'm 3/4 of the way through it and have really enjoyed it. I had a green juice this morning, a pineapple/apple/mint combo after my run, another green juice a couple hours later and a lemonade with cayenne about 30 minutes ago. Since this is only juice during the day, I have my small, raw meal to look forward to later. I also have a snack that I never consumed. I haven't felt hungry except for after my run and have enjoyed all the juices. I'll let you know how I feel at 10pm tonight.

My plan for the next several days is to enjoy the holidays in small, small portions. I'm not going to sit there munching on celery, but I'm not going to go hog wild like I have in the past either. Who's with me?

One Out of Two

2010-12-19T14:05:00.005-05:00

I had a slightly better week, but the closest to consistency I could get was working out roughly every other day. It's an improvement over the single workout weeks I've had recently, but I clearly need to step it up tremendously as I ease into my build phase for the 2011 season (just saying 2011 season makes my stomach flip a little). I also said farewell to the holiday partying. And this time I mean it.

Monday, which I previewed in my last post, really lived up to the expectations plus some. The 6-course dinner with as many paired wines was unbelievable and the post-dinner drinks were far more fun than one should have on a Monday night. After dragging myself through Tuesday, I had two very low key nights in preparation for my annual work party on Thursday. The party was subdued, but the after party with a girlfriend made Friday a total bust. After vowing to lock myself indoors for the weekend, I was arm-twisted into going out Friday with a girlfriend I haven't seen in forever and of course dragged through Saturday.

With my team from work at the holiday party

But in the midst of the holiday revelry, I did manage to run twice, bike twice, swim once and get in one session of strength training. Not bad compared to recent weeks and I feel someone motivated to stay consistent.

I've shared my lofty weight loss goals before and the time has come to take it seriously. Not only have I made zero progress, but I gained nearly 8 pounds from my two weeks in Italy and Wisconsin. Granted I had a lot of fun gaining said weight, but as the worst week ever for nutrition approaches, I have to make choices. My Ironman schedule starts on February 1, at which point I need to be within 3 pounds of my 2011 goal race weight. Past experience has shown I can't lose weight while Ironman training so it's now or never. The journey started yesterday and I've already lost a pound. I have a feeling the 8 I gained while vacationing will come off very quickly, then the rest will be a battle. I have shorter-term goal to lose 15 pounds by mid-January and then a longer-term goal to lose another 5 by mid-February. God help me, Christmas is going to be very tough this year!

Get This Party Started

2010-12-13T17:13:00.002-05:00

I have good news and bad news. First the good. In Friday's post, I promised to stop being lazy and I followed through. I went to Computrainer class Saturday morning and nearly had a coronary after two hours of tight competition and heavy sweating. I held a respectable third place out of 7 cyclists, not bad considering I haven't biked in 2 weeks and have barely broken a sweat doing anything else. I was also finally successful in dragging my sleepy self out of bed in the cold and mist to run this morning. It's depressing how dark it is and how long the darkness lingers. It was still barely light out when I finished but for once I didn't sleep in.

Now the bad. The holiday indulgence is little by little killing my fitness and pretty much guaranteeing I won't be fitting into my skinny jeans for awhile. Post-Italy/Wisconsin I vowed to clean up the lifestyle, but it's the holiday season and I missed people I hadn't seen in nearly 3 weeks. Thursday was a big food and drinks night for work at an overnight in Connecticut, Friday was decidely much more chill, but Saturday... Oh Saturday. It lasted into Sunday and involved visits to multiple cocktail establishments in Manhattan. It was a ridiculous amount of fun that meant Sunday was spent on the couch watching back-to-back episodes of Mad Men (my new obsession).

If anyone else is struggling with the deluge of holiday eating and drinking, check out this article on how to survive as an athlete. I took the advice and took a day off. My body needed it.

My tri club's annual holiday party was last night so I spent hours talking about the upcoming season and race plans and it struck me that I have a massive year ahead. I did two Ironmans this year, but my season was over in September. My season doesn't even begin until August and I won't be done until nearly December. My training schedule will be the longest I've ever done and because of that, I don't feel guilty at all about the slacking I'm doing now. This break may be bad for my waistline but it's incredible for my spirit and I'll look back fondly at pulling an all-nighter with a girlfriend when I'm clipped in and heading out for a ride at the same hour I was leaving my final bar Sunday morning.

With that I'll leave you with a glimpse of tonight's indulgence, a 5-course pig dinner at 'Inoteca. Tis the season!

The Raw Truth

2010-12-10T18:29:00.002-05:00

In an effort to detox a bit and hopefully feel better overall, I consumed mostly raw foods for about 2.5 days. It wasn't a true cleanse or detox since I ate some regular foods and drank a little wine on Day 2 (hey, it was a really, really bad day), but rather was a clean break from the over-indulgence of Italy and Wisconsin.

So how did it go? Overall fairly well, but if you haven't subsisted on primarily raw foods before there are some things you should know. I was expecting to feel lighter and thinner, but instead felt bloated and fatter than before. I'm attributing it to the following:

A raw diet tends to make one gassy, and not gassy in the sense that no one wants to be in the room with you, gassy in the sense that you feel like someone pumped you up. My stomach looked huge at times and I had a perpetual feeling of fullness.
Despite eating all those vegetables, things slow down in the 'ol bathroom department, if you know what I mean. That also makes you feel bloated.
I was consuming more liquid than ever before. The 1-2 green juices coupled with massive quantities of water and herbal tea had me feeling rather full.

Despite the bloating, there were some very positive benefits, specifically:

My skin looked radiant. When you're consuming that many vegetables it actually makes you look better.
My energy level was better and my sleep quality improved.
My junk food cravings were curbed and when I consumed a bunch of sugar yesterday at a work function, I felt pretty nasty. Hopefully this will encourage me to keep the sugar to a minimum during these next few (very difficult) weeks.

Quite surprisingly I started enjoying the green juice and plan to keep it as a staple in my diet. It's nice to get the nutrient benefits of a bag of spinach, two stalks of celery, an entire cucumber, an apple or two and a lemon in a convenient, sippable form. But would I do a full-fledged juice cleanse? I'm not sure. Part of me thinks the challenge would be great but I just don't think it's necessary. I don't buy into the whole theory of resting your system and there is no way I'd give up caffeine. But who knows, I love a good challenge so maybe it would be something good for the New Year.

In closing, I need to come clean about my complete and utter failure to conquer winter and do some sort of swim, bike or run activity daily. I've done zilch since Sunday aside from 45 minutes on the elliptical to burn some calories. It was a busy week and I'd love to say I didn't have time, but the truth is I didn't make time. I'm going to attempt to get back into the swing this weekend. Please hold me accountable.

All Juiced Up

2010-12-07T10:52:00.009-05:00

As promised, self-imposed fat camp started today. I woke up filled with regret over the hot chocolate, peanuts, cookie and dark chocolate (really, really, really good stuff from Paris at least) I had between 9:30 and midnight last night and I found the courage to weigh myself. Seven pounds folks. In two weeks. That's not only disgusting, but I'm encroaching upon a weight I haven't been at since pre-triathlon.

My plan for the day was a lot of green juice and some salad. What is green juice, for those who are fortunate enough not to know? It's essentially any fresh juice made from green vegetables, though some people like to add a green apple, citrus, carrot or pineapple to jazz up the taste a bit. It's incredibly healthy and very good for detoxing. I tried my neighborhood juice joint but they weren't open yet... that's what I get for going to work earlier than normal. So I located a place a block from my office and ordered a delicious concoction of spinach, celery, cucumber, lemon and apple. I was salivating just thinking about it, it actually sounded good after the gluttony. If only it tasted so good. It was VERY green. Almost grasslike. Imagine griding up your salad greens with nothing fun on them and drinking them. Bingo!

It grew on me as I sipped it over the course of 30 minutes. It's not that it tasted bad, it just didn't taste very good. I was yearning for something perhaps a little tangier or zestier. When you've been living off of junk your taste buds are accustomed to that so it takes time to appreciate cleaner, more natural foods. At least this is what I tell myself.

So what else did I eat today?

One green apple... this seriously tasted like pure heaven

Big salad with arugula, raw asparagus, a few cherry tomatoes, carrots, grilled tofu and a splash of barley so I wouldn't pass out; no dressing, just a drizzle of good olive oil and tons of salt (gotta keep at least one vice)

Tiny packet of dry roasted peanuts (THANK YOU Delta!!!!)

Eight ounces chicken broth... also heaven

Clearly this isn't enough for me so tonight I will eat a small, healthy meal and tomorrow I'm amping up the raw vegetables as snacks. I'll also add another juice or two, there can't be much calorie content in there and honestly, I feel better already having pumped myself full of so much natural goodness.

Today is a non-workout day due to obligations thankfully. I'm going to aim to dive back in tomorrow!

Farewell, Madison... Hello, Fat Camp!

2010-12-06T16:03:00.004-05:00

I'll be heading to the airport shortly to return to New York. I feel like it's been months since I've been home and am looking forward to plopping myself onto my dusty couch for a few nights. I think my cat Otis will be happy as well. These last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind... my incredible trip to Rome and a very fun, even if stressful, week with my family. All turned out well and I couldn't have asked for more.

In reflecting on Madison, I realized I consumed more crap in one week than I have in months. Here are some highlights:

An unbelievable burger made with short ribs and other delicious cuts of beef, fries, a shared charcuterie and cheese board and a couple glasses of wine at Graze, one of my favorite places to eat in Madison.
Lake perch fry at The Old Fashioned, washed down with a couple incredible Wisconsin brews and of course preceded by fried cheese curds.
Mini burgers, bone marrow and a decadent grilled cheese with pork belly and homemade chips, washed down with around 4 strong beers at Cooper's Tavern. Thank god I was walking that night!
Grilled salmon club (that means there was bacon on there), fries and a beer for lunch at the Great Dane with more cheese curds, more bone marrow and fried chicken with waffles for dinner at Graze. At least I drank heart-healthy red wine that night (aside from the pre-dinner beers I had at The Old Fashioned)!
Sausage gravy and biscuits (yes, I am a huge pig) with a blackberry scone for breakfast at Lazy Janes and a pulled pork burrito with various shared appies and tequila drinks at El Dorado Grill. Aye carumba!
Sushi from Sushi Muramoto... finally something semi-healthy!

And the verdict is.... I'm huge. I have finally reached a point where I must buckle down and start a self-imposed fat camp. Buried under my winter fluff might still be a triathlete and if I start now I may have hope of unearthing her before the offseason is really over. So beginning tomorrow it's desperate measures time. No more beer, cheese, pastries, bacon, anything fried, basically anything good. Hello vegetables. God help me.

Kristin vs. Winter

2010-12-05T17:36:00.003-05:00

I am so not ready for winter. It's been tolerable in New York thus far and Italy was perfect - upper 50s during the day, low 40s at night. Then I arrived in Wisconsin and was shocked into the reality that winter has arrived. It's in the single digits at times and when it got up to 30 yesterday I had to put the window down in the car! Oh boy. Like years past, I'm making a vow not to let winter get the best of me and decided to start today.

I was getting a bit of cabin fever and briefly considered the treadmill or elliptical to kill some time and burn some calories (I ate a VERY large cookie after breakfast), but decided I'd suck it up again and go outside. It was 21 after all, 8 full degrees warmer than Friday's run... how bad could it be? What a difference 8 degrees makes! I didn't turn to stone while I waited for the Garmin to find a signal and I never felt like my hands might fall off. I even had to unzip my top for some ventilation.

I ran a little over 6 miles on parts of the Ironman Wisconsin run course - the Capitol loop, State Street and the path along Lake Mendota. Much of it was covered in snow and ice, particularly the stretch along Mendota, and it couldn't have looked more different than race day. As I was running I realized I'd experienced so many highs and lows along those miles, both in training and racing. For the first time I got a little excited about the upcoming season.

So in the battle between myself and winter, I am pleased to report victory - Winter: 0, Kristin: 2. Let's see if I can keep it up this month with a goal of doing at least 30 minutes of swimming, biking or running every day and NO treadmill runs. I'm allowed to ride on the trainer because I'm not that crazy, but I refuse to be driven indoors just yet by Mother Nature. Who's with me?

Cool Running and Dad Update

2010-12-04T18:46:00.006-05:00

First an update on my dad. The surgery went well on Thursday. It was a very long day but we were all so relieved it was a success and he was in good spirits considering what he had been through. He had to stay two nights in the hospital and was sent home tonight. He still has a lot of recovering to do, but it's great to see him here and out of the hospital gown. Such a relief.

The weather has been crazy in Wisconsin. It was getting colder in New York, but not too cold to keep all my East Coast friends off their bikes today. Here, however, it's dipping into the single digits at night and warming up to a balmy mid-20s during the day. After a more than 2-week stint of zero physical activity I was starting to feel pretty dreadful and decided I would get up and go running yesterday. I went to weather.com to see the temperature: it was 12 degrees. Yes, just 12. I waited for an hour and it was 13. I despise running in temps that cold but I'd consumed a large number of cheese curds, fried fish, burgers, beer and chocolate since my arrival (and after the copious amounts of cheese, salami and pasta in Italy) and felt it was suck it up time.

So suck it up I did, and somehow managed to convince my sister to suck it up with me. We put on every piece of athletic clothing we packed and headed out. I could say "it wasn't so bad," but I'm not going to lie to you. It was horrible. The wind was biting and ripped through my layers of thermal Sugoi faster than I could say "damn, it's cold!" Warm-up schwarm-up, we had to start running immediately upon exiting the building. I kept waiting for my body temp to rise and nada. My skin was burning and my fingers went numb. Actually my toes went numb, too. I noticed my legs were heavy... was it from not running for weeks or was it from the hideous, sub-zero temps? Funny enough though I managed to enjoy being out and moving. I definitely have a drive to be active and I'm not myself when circumstances force me to take it easy.

We endured 30 minutes and retreated to the warmth of the condo. A 30-minute scorching shower helped thaw me out and about 2 hours later I was finally back to normal. Perhaps life in the Northeast has softened me up or perhaps I was never cut out for the cold Midwest temps. All I know is 30 degrees is my threshold of comfort. We awoke this morning to inches of fluffy snow that I have to admit looked very charming. I ventured out to meet friends for breakfast and decided today was as good a day as any to get back into the pool. Hopefully this will be the beginning of getting back to my normal self.

Different Priorities

2010-12-01T22:49:00.004-05:00

I'm back in Madison where I raced my last Ironman, only this time I'm here for my family. My dad is having surgery tomorrow, a procedure called pyeloplasty to repair his kidney. My sister arrived today so we're all here together, something that doesn't happen often with our busy schedules and lives. We all have different priorities, but for now they are all the same.

Take a moment to thank the people who support you throughout your training and racing, and don't hesitate to shift your priorities when they need you. This week is for you dad, nothing but positive thoughts and energy.

Bella Roma

2010-11-30T21:27:00.003-05:00

I'm back from my incredible journey to Italy. This was my first solo jaunt overseas so I was afraid to book an entire week thinking I might feel lonely or uncomfortable. Now that it's over I so desperately wish I had booked a week. It was by far one of the best travel experiences I've ever had and it was so rewarding in so many ways. I learned that traveling alone is anything but lonely and it allows you to expand your comfort zone tremendously. Rome may be the perfect city for solo travel as well, so I chose wisely. There is so much to share, far too much to ever capture here, and none of it involves any physical activity beyond walking miles and miles around the city in totally inappropriate footwear. Most of it involves eating decadent foods and drinking beautiful wine and cocktails. The perfect vacation.

Since I'm suffering from jet lag and am not coherent enough for a full post, I thought I'd share 10 observations and discoveries from my journey:

Since the coffees are small, don't be afraid to go to two espresso bars each morning to hide the fact that you require multiple coffees to get the day started right. Just remember: no cappuccino past noon, lattes are a made-up American thing and always drink your coffee standing at the bar.
When they ask you if you want cream on your gelato don't think, just say yes. Oh my god...
Panini is plural, a single sandwich is a panino. Don't order like a tourist.
You don't need to share a language to communicate and connect with someone. You can have a really memorable experience without a lot of words.
A two-hour lunch is a great idea. A three-hour dinner is an even better idea.
Visiting Italy during truffle season is magical. And I'm not talking about chocolates...
Looking chic and making a good impression is key in Rome (see above comment about inappropriate footwear).
Aperitivo is like happy hour on steroids and a really beautiful thing.
If you have a good attitude and sense of adventure you can go anywhere and do anything and the people will be kind to you.
In Rome, la vita e bella. You could do nothing except stroll around and soak it in and it would be a trip of a lifetime.

I had been to Rome once before but felt like I was seeing it for the first time. Since I didn't spend the full week I'm already plotting my return and very much looking forward to it.

Another Two

2010-11-22T23:35:00.003-05:00

Doing two Ironmans in 2010 was incredibly rewarding. I didn't succumb to my foot injury and it proved just how far I have come from my former self who had a nasty habit of not finishing what she started. A lot of people question my blog title: how can a person who completed three Ironmans in 12 months be lazy? It's simple. We all come from somewhere and it's often not the manifestation of our current selves. We are constantly changing, trying new things, wanting to be different. And to some degree, battling a complete alter ego that could take over at any time. My alter ego is lazy. She can also be a quitter (I blame it on being a Gemini). So when I started this sport I swore I'd do it 100%.

I've spent the past month or so trying to figure out what I really want to do next season. The thought of two Ironmans was appealing, but based on timing and what was available, my choices were IMFL, IMAZ and IMCOZ. I've never had an interest in FL and while a vacation in Cozumel sounds lovely, swimming an Ironman without a wetsuit sounds about as fun as a root canal. So Arizona it was.

After toiling over the decision and being on and off the fence, I took the plunge and signed up online today. It only took 5 refreshes to get into the Active.com system and roughly 6 minutes to complete the entire process.

Why did I do it? The quote I keep on my blog kept running through my mind: "Someday my body will not be able to do this. Today is not that day." I don't know what the future holds for me, but I know this makes me happy. It defines me and keeps that alter ego at bay. The biggest challenge will be staying motivated for such a long season, beginning in February and ending in late November. But for now I'm going to truly cherish the couple months I have remaining in my offseason, and I'm going to start with a trip to Rome and Paris beginning tomorrow. Buon Viaggio!

Beer Mile Champion

2010-11-17T21:13:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I had a typical Sunday. I was up at 7am to prep for a ride, taking advantage of what would end up being the most perfect late fall riding weather. I met up with fellow blogger Jon for our second food-centric ride, this time on my side of the state with a mid-point muffin from my favorite training fuel stop in Piermont, NY. I had my usual cinnamon chip while he explored the various croissant offerings. In addition to indulging on fantastic carbs, we put in some solid, late-season miles.

I was in a bit of a rush to get home because I had a race on the schedule at 3pm. My tri club was hosting its first Beer Mile, something I like to consider an alternative duathlon since it combines two of my favorite sports - drinking beer and running. I have always wanted to do a Beer Mile but have never heard of one happening locally. I did some "training" in the days leading up to build up my tolerance and was feeling quite prepared. Unfortunately I finished the ride late so I had to skip lunch and just have chocolate milk instead. I didn't want any solid food in my stomach in case things were to not go down so easy if you know what I'm saying.

We set up our "transition" area, complete with brown paper bags, and did a warm-up lap. Then we lined up, fingers poised to hit start on the Garmin and crack open the first beer. It's fantastic to be doing a race that starts with "On your mark, get set, drink!" Because I love numbers, I captured all of the splits - my beer drinking time and lap running time. Here is a breakdown:

Beer 1 :45 (disgusting, but I did it!)
Lap 1 1:45 (6:59/mi)
Beer 2 1:11 (is burping in public in front of guys a bad thing?)
Lap 2 1:58 (7:47/mi)
Beer 3 1:23 (going down hard now...)
Lap 3 1:58 (7:55/mi, starting to weave around a bit I think)
Beer 4 1:36 (never. drinking. beer. again...)
Lap 4 2:00 (7:30/mi, DONE! and no penalty lap!)
Total 12:40

I don't think I've chugged a beer since college so the 45-second split to start was huge for me. Sadly I was second to last with that performance so it was a good thing I was able to throw down a decent pace while not throwing up my PBR! The scene in transition was priceless. A bunch of adults slamming beers out of paper bags, burping, spilling all over ourselves and other unmentionable mishaps (one racer had a cuban sandwich shortly before the race...).

"Transition" 1, Race Start

That first lap was tough. I spent the entire time trying to figure out how I'd drink 3 more beers and keep my cookies down. I slowed considerably on Beer 2, taking a few chugs at a time peppered with breaks to commiserate with fellow racers and create some room with ladylike burping. The second lap was a little easier and I actually embraced the small escape from the dreaded beer transition. But as predicted, Beer 3 was like swallowing wet concrete. I started questioning my ability to finish and wondered, would this be my first DNF? I wasn't ready to give up so I powered through and continued on.

Lap 3 was a challenge. I think a slight buzz was setting in and I forgot to stay focused and run a straight line. I started fantasizing about collapsing in the grass. As I entered transition for Beer 4, I realized it might have been the first time in my life where I absolutely, positively, without a doubt did not want even a sip of beer. Too bad I had another 12 ounces to consume. It's hard to say what was harder: doing 2 Ironmans this season or forcing that final beer down my throat. I'm leaning toward the beer. I was elated to start Lap 4 and even enjoyed it a little despite the burning in my stomach. I could see fellow racers celebrating their accomplishments just around the corner and wanted to desperately to join them. Or puke. Or both.

Victory!

Moments after finishing I learned I was the first place female. Podium!!! Finally! Of course there were only 4 females but still, I was proud. What a fantastic way to end my season.

Post-Race Recovery

Regardless of my win, I realized I will need to do some serious training to be a real contender next year. My inability to truly chug the beer really held me back so I have work to do. Unfortunately I never learned how to properly chug a beer in college so I may be faced with limitations in this sport. But if I can learn to swim and do an Ironman in one year, I'm confident I can cut my can-guzzling time down to a respectable 30 seconds. I may need to experiment with race day nutrition to find the right choice as well and the offseason seems like a great time to do it. Cheers!

Joy Miles

2010-11-13T18:08:00.002-05:00

You hear a lot about junk miles, those extra miles we put in during the season that don't really serve a training purpose. But during the offseason I've discovered those miles are converted from junk to joy. Over the past few days I've logged a handful of run and bike miles simply for the pleasure of being outside, feeling the wind on my face and enjoying my surroundings. Pure joy. It's something we don't have the luxury of doing with big races and goals on the horizon.

I finally started running again on Wednesday after a 2.5 week break. I only went 20 minutes and I loved every moment. Then Thursday while in Toronto for business I went out and ran another 30 minutes, but this time with no Garmin and no clue of how far or how fast I was going. I ran up and down the little side streets of Yorkville, the neighborhood I was staying in, and paid no attention to pace or effort. It was such a pleasure to run just for the sake of running.

Today I met up with a friend and rode multiple loops of Prospect Park, chatting and catching up about our weekend so far. It was 60 degrees, sunny and beautiful, and we rode until we didn't feel like riding anymore. No goals, no plan, just a ride. We stopped off for coffee and muffins and chatted some more before calling it a day.

So in my confusion over scheduling and structure, I think I've discovered what I need to do - find joy. I love training for this sport or I wouldn't do it. You spend way too many hours preparing for an Ironman to feel forced or obligated. But even though I enjoy it, the need to hit miles, paces or heart rates can be a drag. So for now I'll just keep doing whatever I feel like doing and if that means going slow, stopping for muffins or just jogging to see a new place, at least I know I'll enjoy it.

Addicted to Structure

2010-11-09T21:21:00.002-05:00

First things first. I fear there is a dark cloud hovering over me when it comes to my pursuit of this sport sometimes. Just as the Cipro ban ended, I developed a case of what seemed to be a mile stomach virus. At first I wondered if it was just backlash from the indulgence I enjoyed while being incredibly lazy for 14 days, but when the fever, aches and chills hit I could no longer deny it. I was sick. And sick I remained from roughly 4am Sunday morning to now. Tonight is the first time I feel I've turned the corner, though it's 9:25 and I'm more than ready for bed.

So suffice it to say I have not yet returned to being a triathlete or at least someone that resembles one. If I have an ounce of energy tomorrow I may give it a try. But stomach bug aside, I had a realization while dragging myself to work this morning: I thrive on structure, on being scheduled and knowing exactly what needs to be done and when. I recently posted about needing a break from coaching so I could enjoy just the opposite - a life free of obligations. But now I'm wondering if having no schedule is like a get out of jail free pass when it comes to having any sense of needing to do a workout. There are those rare individuals who can wake up in the morning, decide on a whim what to do and go do it. I'm not one of them. I'm realizing I won't do anything at all if there isn't a plan in place.

There's a chance this is just typical offseason slack, we all do it, right? But there's a chance I need a more structured approach, even if it's a structure for my unstructured time. Looking back I remember accepting a new full-time job, and a big job no less, right at the same time I started training for my first Ironman. I had been consulting quite successfully for a year and had a very flexible schedule, something you'd think would be ideal for Ironman training. But there was a fear deep down that I'd handle the training better with more structure in my life and I was right. Not only was the job perfect for me, its daily demands forced me to meticulously plan every moment of activity around it. Or rather have my coach plan it, but you get the point.

When you think about it, a lot of triathletes exhibit Type A behavior. So it's no surprise we thrive on having daily schedules that would make most people jump off a bridge. Are you one of them? Let's hear what level of scheduling works for you.

The Long Wait

2010-11-07T16:38:00.003-05:00

As of today it's been 14 days since my last dose of Cipro and I'm ready to be active again. I had some minor aches and pains so I decided to hold off when the mandatory 10-day ban was up. Another 3 days of being lazy is nothing compared to another 4 months in a walker boot or worse.

I didn't take the 14 days entirely off. I threw caution to the wind and took advantage of beautiful fall weather with a fantastic ride in Westchester County, just north of New York City. I met up fellow blogger Jon and joined him on his Ride for the Donuts, a 50-mile loop on lovely tree-lined roads. Westchester is stunning in the fall and the leaves were just past their peak so it was worth the slight risk. But the leaves were most certainly not the highlight of the ride... the cider donuts were. I would have ridden another 50 to eat a half dozen more, they were just that good. It was a nice departure from my usual muffin ride and a great way to enjoy a perfect fall day.

I've spent the rest of the time seeing friends and enjoying free time in the city. I've been to several great restaurants and have definitely put on a few pounds as a result, but it has been worth it. I'll be back to my usual lifestyle tomorrow and will feel normal in no time.

I think the most exciting thing I did during this 14-day hiatus is book a Thanksgiving vacation. I'll be spending 4 days in Rome and 1 day in Paris on my first solo trip out of the country. I remember meeting a woman last year who had just spent a weekend in Paris alone and she said all women need to do that at some point in their lives. I went to California alone this past spring and loved it, so this should be even more exciting. One thing is for sure: I'll be taking my running shoes with me to explore the city on foot. There is nothing better way to experience a new place and work off some of the pasta and gelato at the same time.

Is Runner's World Taunting Me?

2010-10-29T15:29:00.001-04:00

I recently unsubscribed from Runner's World in a most dramatic fashion. I somehow had been deemed a "VIP," which meant they automatically renewed and billed my subscription without asking me if I wanted it. Said renewal went unnoticed and I got a note from a collection agency... for a $10 magazine!!! Other mags do this, namely Outside, and I find it brazen and obnoxious. I had been feeling like Runner's World was lacking in compelling content and wasn't planning to renew... then I got the notice. So I called and chewed out the customer service agent, letting them know what I thought of their VIP program.

I felt liberated. If you read the magazine long enough it feels like the same topics and advice keep coming around. How much can you say about a single sport after all? Then I noticed a couple stories on the cover of the November issue that intrigued me so I grabbed a copy at the airport. The story that caught my eye the most was "The Last Great Race," a piece about Bart Yasso's final race before retiring from the sport due to chronic Lyme disease. He could barely walk, but managed to conquer the 56 brutal miles of the Comrades Marathon. I also enjoyed the article about minimalist footwear, "Is Less More?" While you aren't likely to ever see me sporting a pair of Five Fingers, I am very intrigued by the notion of going back to basics. After tearing my plantar fascia and essentially starting over, I moved from overdone stability - Asics Kayano, to significantly less shoe - Brooks Ghost, and have been happy with the results. After this latest round of recovery I plan to do one short run each week in a super-light training shoe like the Nike Free. Baby steps.

I'm not racing out to renew my subscription just yet, but thought much of the November issue was worth reading. If you have a little time on your hands like I do, I recommend you have a look.

Races of a Lifetime

2010-10-27T22:58:00.002-04:00

My blogger buddy Jon recently posted about race bucket lists. We all have them. The races we've dreamed about doing before we leave this earth and for many of us they are the obvious ones - Kona, Boston, Alcatraz. But for others they are surprising and different. I've been amassing a list for several years and posted it as a comment to his original post. I thought I'd share it here:

Ironman Western Australia
Ironman New Zealand
Ironman South Africa
Vineman 70.3
Maraton du Medoc
Comrades (uphill year)
The Relay
SOS
Triple T
Boston Marathon
Kona, of course :)

The nature of a bucket list is that you tend to let it sit until that proverbial bucket is ready to be kicked. I've decided I want to start kicking it now, life is short after all right? My first Ironman in 2011 isn't until September. I also have a unique year approaching in 2012 that will make my usual Ironman plans somewhat difficult. So now might be the time.

I'm putting together a team for the 2011 Relay in Northern California. I don't care if I have to fill it with strangers, I will be heading out in a van on April 30 from Calistoga ready for California's longest party. And when 2012 rolls around I plan to be training for the "Up Year" of the Comrades Marathon. This might be the ultimate dream race for me, registering way higher than Kona or Boston. If I can finish this, I truly believe I can do anything.

Then in the fall I'd like to tie things up with a bow by running the 2012 Maraton du Medoc. If I survive the 20 wine tasting stops, oysters and dancing, I might do another fall marathon and declare 2012 as the year of really living. I have no doubt it would be incredibly memorable.

As for the rest of the list? I hope I have time. It's all any of us can really hope for. After all, everything we do in this sport is a gift.

An Unfortunate Encounter With Cipro

2010-10-26T17:58:00.002-04:00

I was a bit under the weather and needed an antibiotic. My doc prescribed a quick, 3-day dose of Cipro and said I'd be good to go. I HATE antibiotics so I was pleased to hear I'd only have to take 3 pills and put it into the past. I started the course on Friday and took my final pill at brunch on Sunday, still dressed in my Army 10-Miler race clothes.

While perusing the side effects on Friday I noticed a warning of possible tendon rupture. Huh? How does an antibiotic make your tendons rupture? I figured it was one of those bizarre and super rare side effects you can ignore so we proceeded to joke about it all weekend, especially at the race. During the Army 10 I felt an odd pain in my foot and even chuckled to myself, "gee I hope my tendons aren't rupturing." But as it turns out, it's not as rare as you may think so when a doc friend advised me to be careful I reached out to my podiatrist and he agreed. He told me no running for 10 days. What!?! I just started running again!

So here I am, taking yet another running hiatus. I've had enough injuries to last me a lifetime so I don't need another. I had an incredible ride today. It was my first time outdoors in over 2 weeks and I immediately ran into one of the peloton riders so we did a loop and a half together before being overtaken by the full peloton. He encouraged me to jump in so I did, but I was feeling like I did back in the early summer when I could barely keep up. I hung on for a loop and then let them drop me, there was no way I could keep up after doing zero for a week and not being on the bike for so long. But the ride was great, I averaged nearly 19mph over 20 miles so I'm still better off than I was at the start of this season. If my tendons don't explode I should be back in business shortly. And there's always the pool...

Where in the World is Kristin?

2010-10-24T16:04:00.007-04:00

Well friends, this may have been the longest hiatus I've taken from posting, even longer than the time I deliberately took a hiatus. I've had two of the busiest weeks imaginable, both on the work and personal fronts, so sharing updates took a backseat. Unfortunately training also joined it in the backseat this past week. Here's what I've been up to:

Week of October 11

Work, work and more work. After that magical weekend I headed into a not-so-magical week. I had a huge event Wednesday that required a huge rehearsal Tuesday and a late night Monday. I fought back by squeezing in as many workouts as possible, making me feel like I retained some level of control. I had a good run Monday morning, a little over 4 miles at an 8:47 average. I've been struggling to get my old run pace back and have been stuck at the 9-minute pace for awhile so I was happy. Tuesday was an early start and late finish so I did a quick 30 minutes on the trainer with hard intervals. Something is better than nothing right?

After surviving the event and two 14-hour days, I caught up a bit on Friday with an hour on the bike and more intervals before hitting the road for State College, PA for the Tussey Mountainback Relay. I'll do a full post on that this week, but until then, here I am with my fellow runners on "Team Dude, Where's My Van?"

Week of October 18

Nothing to see here folks. I'm not sure what happened, but nothing happened on the training front. I was very sore from the relay (surprisingly I must say) so Monday was a bust. But after the soreness wore off, I never really got back into the swing of things so I blew off the entire week and focused on social plans instead, including a 6-course pig dinner and a night at my favorite restaurant in NYC, Marea. I don't regret it, but my waistline regrets it a little.

I flew to Washington DC Thursday for a long weekend with my sister and the Army 10 Miler, one of my favorite running races. After the week of doing nothing, I was a little nervous about how I'd feel. I also had to go on antibiotics Friday and spent Saturday at a wine tasting. Add to that the fact that I have only run a handful of times since IMWI and it was a recipe for disaster. But thankfully it ended up being a beautiful day to race and I felt fantastic. I finished in 1:26:05 (unofficial), only 3 minutes slower than my first time here in 2008 and just over an 8:30 average. I'll take it.

I'll also do a post on the race this week as I go into catch-up mode. I have yet to do my Ironman Wisconsin race report so that is also slated to come shortly. Here's hoping I can stay on the wagon.

The Perfect Weekend

2010-10-10T22:45:00.003-04:00

How often can you say you had the perfect weekend? I've had some good ones, and even a few perfect ones, but it's been awhile. Even though I was heading into this one somewhat unplanned, things fell into place and I'd say it was pretty close to perfect.

The weather was gorgeous so I biked and ran Friday, totally pain free. A friend was free and eager to join me at a new restaurant that just opened this week. A different friend was only blocks away so I met her for a drink first.

An incredible Saturday ride ended up coming together with my friend Dan. We spend five hours riding and talking, enjoying a beautiful fall day. I barely noticed the time we spent pedaling.

Today I rode again, this time solo but still really great. I was forced off my planned route due to a parade and was thoroughly proud that I used my GPS to find a new route and not end up lost in New Jersey. And then tonight while cleaning and prepping for the week, a friend stopped by to pick something up and we ended up drinking wine and chatting for a couple hours. It was far more fun than going out and totally unexpected.

I think the beauty of the offseason really hit me this weekend. We work so hard for so many months and deserve to take a break. For me the break is not a break from the sport so to say, but a break from the obligation. I want to ride my bike whether I'm training for an Ironman or not. I rode 132 miles this weekend simply because I wanted to. Yesterday we tackled 70 miles and every hill we could find... but just for fun. Today I took it easy, avoided the hills and just enjoyed the feel of riding. Because I could. Because I didn't have anything else I needed to do. What an incredible feeling.

Detox Wrap Up

2010-10-08T10:15:00.003-04:00

Now that the end of a long week has arrived, I wanted to share the results of my detox. This wasn't an extreme approach, no special drinks or juices, no fasting, no supplements. I simply wiped my diet of sugar, refined grains, processed foods and essentially any unhealthy excess. I followed a plan consisting of three small meals with three snacks in between, all made up of vegetables (spinach, arugula, asparagus, tomatoes, edamame, red peppers, cucumber, sweet potatoes), protein (chicken breast, salmon, egg whites), fruits (apples, oranges, berries, limited bananas) and a small amount of grains (brown rice, sprouted grain bread). Each meal was between 200-400 calories and the snacks were about 150-200. Because everything was healthy, my daily calorie intake was much lower than normal, but I felt relatively satisfied.

The first two days of a change in diet like this are hard. I had a headache (mostly because I shunned coffee for two days... I don't recommend it), a hollow feeling in my stomach and was tired. But by the third day I felt incredible. I was sleeping like a rock, had a high level of energy and nailed a hard bike interval workout after a relatively low consumption day. I wasn't missing sugar at all and wasn't feeling deprived.

Weight loss was not my goal in this, but I did lose a couple pounds. I dropped nearly two almost immediately, likely from spending the better part of Monday in the loo shedding the pound or more of fluid from my previously inflammatory diet, plus I was drinking a tremendous amount of water. I then gained a pound back, and even more oddly felt a little bloated on Wednesday. But as of today, the total weight loss for the week is 1.6 pounds.

The more interesting outcome is the change in my tastes and desires. I love almond butter, but used to find it a little bland without a drizzle of honey on it. But after two days of detox, almond butter tasted pleasantly sweet, like I could truly enjoy the flavor since I wasn't eating artificially sweet things. And the biggest eye opener was yesterday. My detox ended when I went to bed Wednesday night and yesterday I ordered cupcakes for my team at work. I had a cupcake myself - a big, 700 calorie sugar bomb - and it made me feel ill. I was unable to eat for nearly four hours after, developed a headache and was nauseated the rest of the day. A week ago, that cupcake would have seemed like heaven.

I'm aiming to follow the approach about 80% of the time. I did this most of last summer and lost a great deal of body fat and felt better than ever. But while I'm an athlete, I'm also a foodie and I'm not going to restrict anything in my life 100%. Instead I'll make choices, and hopefully it all balances out in the end. Today I'm eating super cleanly in anticipation of a spectacular dinner. A friend and I are checking out Osteria Morini, a new restaurant in Soho that just opened on Monday. It should be just the right anti-detox for a perfect Friday night.

Oh, The Irony

2010-10-06T22:33:00.003-04:00

Junk Food: The New Weight Loss Diet? - US News and World Report

As I close on Day 3 of my detox I find this article incredibly ironic. I haven't had any sugar, refined grain or processed food since Monday and even gave up coffee for a couple days. All with a goal of changing my eating habits for the better. The professor featured in this article did exactly the opposite: he went on a junk food diet to prove weight loss is simply calories in, calories out. And it worked! He lost 15 pounds eating Twinkies and other sugary snacks.

While he's not advocating we exist on Hostess products, he is making a valuable point. There is no magic to weight loss. It takes discipline, whether it's the choices we make about the foods we eat or being more aware of the amount we eat. I, for one, think it would be ideal to accomplish both.

Training For... Nothing

2010-10-05T22:55:00.002-04:00

As the blog name implies, I am in fact lazy. I may have done three Ironmans in 12 months while juggling one of the busiest year's of my life, but deep down I have a strong desire to sleep late, eat muffins and spend my free time on the couch. This side of me took over during the last offseason and I spent the entire spring and early summer cursing my indulgent lifestyle and lack of fitness. After a somewhat miraculous comeback and huge PR in Wisconsin I was fueled with motivation and had a million offseason goals swirling through my head - improved running form, increased bike speed, Michael Phelps-like swimming, more strength training than you could dream of. I muddled through my recovery weeks hitting about 50% of the workouts and not feeling an ounce of guilt over the other 50%. That's what recovery is for. But as of Monday, the beginning of a new month, I vowed to step it up and make this offseason a valuable one.

So how has it gone? Honestly, it's been a bit of a struggle. I'm a person who is incredibly motivated by a big goal, or fear of that big goal. With my next important race almost a year away, the little voice in my head tells me to hit snooze when the alarm goes off and tells me it's ok to skip my workout after a long day.

I'm proud to say I've ignored the little voice and dragged my sleepy self out of bed in the dark, cold and rain yesterday morning to ran. Sure it was only for 25 minutes (hey, I'm still recovering) but it made me feel rather accomplished. And tonight when the voice told me to lay on the couch and watch Law & Order I instead put the bike on the trainer and banged out intervals. If I can just get into a groove, I think I will make it through this offseason in far better shape.

Does anyone else struggle with motivation this time of year?

Day two of the self-imposed detox is complete. I'll share the results once I survive the full three days.

Fall Fun Detour

2010-10-03T22:46:00.002-04:00

I recently posted my Fall Fun schedule, a series of activities to keep me occupied during this lengthy recovery phase. The first activity happened as scheduled and actually ended up being much bigger than anticipated. But the second activity fell off the plan due to a lack of friend wanting to wallow in the mud and a sudden dip in temperatures that made wallowing in the mud sound about as fun as a root canal. Instead I rode with a new friend and it was the first ride in a very long time that was done purely for the joy of biking. It didn't matter how far we went, how long it took, what my HR was, how many carbs I consumed (cinnamon chip muffin anyone?). We just rode, and we even started at 9am instead of the 7am I'm so used to.

I had a little detour at the beginning after riding over a nail and flatting instantly. In all my years cycling this has never happened to me. I felt a little bump as I rode over it and about three seconds later I felt the disturbing feeling of my rim scraping the ground. I was on the George Washington Bridge, thankfully almost all the way across and about a half mile from a bike shop. Have you walked a half mile in cleats pushing a bike with a totally flat tire? It wasn't fun, but could have been significantly worse. We lost about an hour total and were back on the road, enjoying 50 miles on a beautiful fall day.

I'm still not fully recovered but feel I've come a long way. If the rain holds off this week I'll be attempting a Prospect Peloton ride to see where my fitness stands. If the weather lets me down I'll reluctantly get on the trainer and do the intervals. At least there won't be any nails.

I prepped my Monday detox food tonight so I can kick things off in the morning. I'm pretty excited and already feel a little better knowing I'm doing this. I got a little half-bottle of wine to toast my last toxic night and serve as a cook's helper for all the prepping. I'm aiming for Monday - Wednesday for sure, and if I feel good I'll go through Thursday. After that I'll stick to the general rules but will allow myself a little more slack, including another glass of wine. It gives me something to look forward to.

Goodbye, Recovery

2010-10-02T19:00:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow will be exactly three weeks from Ironman Wisconsin and I couldn't feel more out of shape than I do right now. At first recovery is delightful. I enjoyed sleeping in, having a Sunday that included brunch as my big activity and having my "long" workout be 1.5 hours. But inactivity breeds inactivity and I'm starting to feel the need to get going again.

In addition to being minimally active, I've been eating and drinking everything I shouldn't. It started with my usual race-week and post-race indulgences, but it's a slippery slope and I've now turned into a sugar-craving beast and feel awful after every sweet morsel. Exhibit A to the left, an ice cream made with beer that we had as our second dessert last night. After a couple low points last week involving an entire bag of M&Ms and two Nutella pizzas I decided it was time to clean the diet back up. After all, I have that offseason goal to lose 13 pounds, which is now 14 thanks to my recent lifestyle.

I thought about doing something extreme like a juice cleanse to break the bad eating cycle, but was concerned I'd be too low energy to continue workouts. So instead I'm going back to my no sugar, no refined grains, no processed food diet and will kick it off with 3-4 days of lower calorie, extremely clean eating. Absolutely no exceptions. I'm even going to skip the coffee in an attempt to detox the system a little.

I did my first post-race run last night and it went well. It was only 20 minutes but was pain-free and my legs aren't feeling fatigued anymore. I had a good ride Wednesday and a solid interval ride in the park today as well so I think I'm ready start again. I'm hoping to re-join the Prospect Peloton next week and see if I can keep up.

Night Rider

2010-09-29T22:26:00.004-04:00

With the days getting shorter and weather less favorable, it's getting harder and harder to ride in daylight on weekdays. If I go early in the morning it's as dark as night and by the time I get off work it's well past dusk. But tonight I flew back from a business trip and landed at 5pm so I was home, changed and clipped in by 6:27pm. Even at this early hour I was racing the daylight, but it was nice to get started with some lingering light in the sky.

It felt so great to ride after sitting in meetings and on airplanes, undoing some of the damage done by room service and lack of activity. I rode solo for about 40 minutes and then ran into a friend and rode another 45 minutes with him. By then it was incredibly dark and I could hear crickets chirping, but the park was filled with runners, walkers and cyclists. It's like we're all fighting to hang onto the last shreds of good weather and defy the end of summer. At least that's what I'm doing.

I was in trainerville on Monday due to monsoon-like rain. It was depressing to be forced to ride inside, but since I had an interval workout on the schedule it was actually tolerable. I haven't done trainer intervals in awhile and forgot just how hard they can be. After an extended warm-up I did 3x3' at 160bpm and 80-90rpm with 1' easy pedaling in between. I felt like it was an hour well spent and it made me hopeful that I'll find new and different enjoyment when the weather finally forces me inside for good.

Fall Fun Event No. 1

2010-09-25T18:28:00.002-04:00

Today kicked off that little schedule of fun fall activities I shared the other day. When you're training for an Ironman, you rarely get to do anything on the weekends just for fun. Even a half Ironman steals away a good training day. So I'm filling my early offseason with the fun events I usually hear about others doing and wish I could do myself.

Today's event technically could have qualified for "training" if I had shunned the muffins, cookies, PB&Js and other goodies served up along the route. I rode the Escape New York metric century with my friend Jonah, but since we live in Brooklyn we rode 87 miles. On dead Ironman legs. In 87-degree heat. But since it was purely for the joy of being on the bike, it was perfect! It wasn't my finest long ride, but given how recent my race was it also wasn't so bad.

The ride started and ended by Grant's Tomb and included a ride over the George Washington Bridge (my usual weekend route), North through New Jersey and back into New York state. We followed another route through New Jersey home. Some were roads I've been on and many were new so I got to explore a little.

So how did it feel to ride 87 miles on not-so-recovered legs? I felt great at the beginning. We had a 16.7 average with a fair amount of climbing and my energy was good. But about 45 miles in I got tired. Then the leg pain started. And the lower back pain. Even my triceps hurt! I was mostly just uncomfortable in the saddle since aside from the race, I've barely put more than 2 hours in during a single ride in the last 3 weeks. But riding just for the joy of riding is something I haven't done for awhile. It didn't matter how many miles we managed to get in, what HR zone we were in, what nutrition we took in (see above) or how long it took. It was a gorgeous, hot, sunny, late September day and I spent 6 hours of it pedaling just for fun. What could be better than that?

Do What You Love

2010-09-22T18:31:00.002-04:00

I couldn't say it better myself. This is all so very true.

Fall Fun

2010-09-21T20:44:00.004-04:00

I have a hard time embracing the offseason at first, but then usually dive in so wholeheartedly I end up terribly out of shape. I'm attempting to change that this year by actually gaining something (besides a few extra pounds) during my offseason. You can't keep your Ironman fitness all year, it simply isn't possible. And you don't need it. But you can stay in great shape, and if you approach it correctly, get into even better shape. I shared my offseason goals fitness goals yesterday, so here's a look at a few fun things I've lined up to keep the mind and body from falling apart:

September 25 - Escape New York Metric Century. Sure it's a route I ride all the time by myself for free, but a friend is doing it so we figured it would be fun to catch up and eat all the free pastries we can stuff into ourselves. The only catch is that I'll have to pile on roughly 20 miles to and from so I may be exceeding 80 miles. Holy lactic acid...
October 3 - Merrell Down and Dirty Mud Run. This will only happen IF I can convince at least one other living, breathing human being to join me. I thought everyone would be dying to do it. Turns out not everyone is interested in crawling around in mud. Who knew.
October 16 - Tussey Mountainback 50-Mile Relay. We have a team of 7 so far and it should be a great time. I'll be running two legs, likely around 10 miles total. Piece of cake. The full day hanging out in the van with fun people is the part I'm really looking forward to.
October 24 - Army 10-Miler. I'll be running this with my sister and her husband at whatever pace they choose. It's a little early for me to be doing a race this long with my running hiatus, but it's annual and it's fun. Plus there's a wine tasting the day before and my sister's birthday and wedding anniversary.
November 7 - Prospect Park Duathlon. I've never done a du so I figured, why not?

It's a busy little schedule, but filled with the fun events you have to shun for Ironman training so I'm really looking forward to it. It should shake the post-Ironman depression/boredom and remind me of the joy of the sports. The weather couldn't be more amazing either. I just wish I could lace up my shoes and head out for a run, even if just a short one. But I'll be patient.

Seven Days Later

2010-09-20T13:38:00.006-04:00

Seven days have passed since finishing my third Ironman. It's been a very long week, both literally and figuratively. The days creep by and are seemingly forever, most likely due to the lack of rushing around to fit in the training, errands, laundry and food shopping. But also due to the change in mental focus, I'm definitely bored already and have spent countless hours looking at 2011 races, cycling clubs, running programs, fun runs, winter gear and even cyclocross (like I really need another bike, another sport...). This is what happens when the Ironman rug is pulled out from beneath you. In another week or so I will embrace the offseason. I will love it. You can't go full throttle all year after all.

I thought I'd share a few of the realizations of this past week:

Setting a 41-minute PR hurts. A lot. I was in significantly more pain Monday-Wednesday than I was after the previous two Ironmans.

Doing two Ironmans in seven weeks also hurts. A lot. I think the general high volume load contributed to the above-mentioned pain.

Joint pain is so much more unpleasant than muscle pain. No amount of foam rolling and stretching helps. Thank god for Voltaren.

Ironically my feet are the only body parts that were ok after the race. Even my shoulders were killing me (really, really need to start going to the pool).

Sleep is magical. The 8-12 hours a night I've been getting have made me feel like a different person.

Succeeding in pushing yourself beyond a limit you thought impossible is incredible. I've always been a bit of a quitter, but not anymore. I'll never say I can't do something again.

Having family and friends support you is the biggest boost in the world. Some stood out there all day long and others tracked online. Ironman is a selfish endeavor so to have people actually share it with you is really wonderful.

You can eat and drink anything you want for one week after the race. After that you have to significantly cut back.

Race photos are humbling. Let's just say the "lose 13 pounds in the offseason" plan started immediately after ASI posted. And why do the photographers insist on sitting on the ground and shooting at the most unflattering angle??? Oh the humanity.

I had the chance to meet fellow blogger Ironman By Thirty (Kevin) the morning of the race. We chatted for a bit and he zipped up my wetsuit, then tracked me throughout the day. He posted about it on the blog and captured this great video at the finish (I'm about 20 seconds in). Thanks so much Kevin!

So what are my offseason goals? Aside from the 13 pounds mentioned above, I'm taking an advanced swim class to work on my form. It's time. I'm going to focus a ton on cycling, mostly intervals and speed for now, endurance later in the winter or early spring. After a hiatus, I'll ease back into running and if I can slowly build the volume with no incident, I'll get back into speed work by spring. I'm proud of the run times I achieved at IMLP and IMWI, but I'm nowhere near the runner I used to be and I want to get that back.

Besides that I want to have fun, relax with friends, sleep until the sun comes up, not look at a training schedule for awhile and read some books. On that front, this is a funny video for anyone who's done an Ironman or is thinking about it.