Go Team, IronTeam! (I'm 2nd from left in back)

Yesterday was a lot of fun. Iron Mel and I met at the Larkspur Ferry, then drove into the city to meet the Team down at Sports Basement on the water. Our main workout “set” was to do 90 minutes of running at our VDOT paces – or at least “moving on our feet” for 90 minutes.

running with Mary

I mainly ran with Mary, which was great. She’s thinking about doing an “I will do your taxes for free if you donate to my Team In Training website” dealio – if you’re interested, email me or leave a comment and I will let you know the specifics when she does it! She and I particularly talked about starting off too fast and then running out of gas. Coach Sedonia came and ran with us for a while and asked what our “strategy” was. Well, we said we were doing a ”run until Mary walks, then walk” strategy. Coach Sedonia reminded us to “walk with purpose” when we walked. Once we’d gotten down to the Fort and were coming back, I got Mary to start doing “Galloways” – e.g., running for 5 minutes, then walking “with purpose” for 2. That’s my current “Galloway” set. We would always start off and she’d go too fast and I would say “I can’t keep that up for 5 minutes.” By the end, we were doing well. I had been talking “about” Galloway running when we were just randomly walking and running – then (duh) I thought: “We should start doing it NOW.” It was fun and I felt a lot more “structured.” At the end of the 90 minutes, I could have gone for another 30 for sure.

CRASH!!! BOOM!!!!

The waves were REALLY crashing up and around and over the path – and the sun actually came out which felt GREAT. I wish I had had my camera (these are off the TNT Ironteam website). There was a gorgeous sailing regatta going on as well, but I don’t have a picture of it.

We went into Sports Basement for a lecture on wetsuits after the run. I have never been to Sports Basement. I couldn’t talk about anything else to H last night – or this morning! Holy cats. I have never seen so much stuff in my life at such good prices. I was totally overwhelmed.  I remember reading once about a Russian woman who came to the U.S. and walked into a Safeway – after being used to her national grocery stores with goods in all-grey boxes and 1/4-full shelves – who lay down in the middle of the aisles and alternated between hyperventilating and crying. Maybe that’s a little dramatic but I’d have to say that Sports Basement is kinda like that. Hoooly Cow.

Teammate Rocky On The TRX

The best part about the wetsuit lecture was NOT watching Coach Doug skinny his way in and out of one. (Well, ok, that was part of the fun. Can you say “human condom”?) No, the best part, after watching Coach Doug take 20 or so minutes to get into the doggone thing and THEN discussing how to “warm up the water in the wetsuit that provides you with insulation” (think about it…) was Coach Simon saying from the back: “Is now the appropriate time to mention that it takes two seconds to get into your running shorts, and no on asks you to pee in them?” BEST PART.

IronTeam Can-Can

After we had our lecture, we went around back at Sports Basement and took our team photo (above) in the SUNSHINE (Helloooo Vitamin D I love you!) and watched the regatta a bit while Coach Doug set up all the TRX lines. Actually, this was the time for my second favorite line of the day. We had to bring our yoga mats around back, for the TRX portion, and Coach Sedonia was in back of my van when I got mine out. I brought all 4 – because I either arrive with four, or I arrive with none (having totally forgotten them). That way I have 3 to give out, and one to keep.  She looks at the mats, at me, back at the mats, and says “Are those all for you?” HEY, they don’t call me the Iron Tiara Princess for nuthin’ – here is my pea, for under all the yoga mats, too! (smile).

So anyway, we did some stretching exercises and some strength/core exercises. Apparently the TRX was invented by a Navy Seal who wanted something that could help do all the exercises that he wanted to do to keep in shape, but that he could pack with him. You basically can do everything using your own body weight. I could do all the exercises except the lunge/knee related ones – it was very instructive. Lizzie D has one of these and swears by it – I can see why!

me with the evil TRX

Once we were done with the TRX “torture” we went inside and had Nutrition Lecture #2 with Coach Norma. I had purchased the book “Nutrition Periodization For Endurance Athletes” by Bob Seebohar on the suggestion of a podcast (only $4.00 on half.com!), and she actually had a handout from him. This book is definitely interesting and specific. It explains to a “T” how nutrition ‘works’ during all phases of exercise – from pre-season through your season, and even post season – with of course specific breakdowns right around race time.

Home after, to find that the new dishwasher was delivered- YAY! – but it was in the middle of the kitchen, and H was nowhere to be found – BOO! I had hoped to catch a ride with IronMel up to her Concert Shindig, as there was no way I could be on the road from Napa after 10:00, but H wasn’t home in time for me to catch the MelExpress to Napa at 6:00. That made me sad. But we have a new kitchen sink, disposal, and dishwasher now – Whoot Whoot!

This morning (Sunday) was supposed to be the Bike Marker plus a training ride with the team…but it was Returns To Home Depot and then Berkeley Rep with Mom, Dad, and H Day for Moi instead. Dad had moved all 4 tickets when I did the Louie last weekend so that I could race and he could help volunteer (and of course so that H could go, since I “voluntold” him he would be there!) I hope I can go do the Marker Set myself some day this week. Missed the Swim Marker on Friday because of “Life” as well – oy! Life v. Iron!

Coming up, again, “Life gets in the way” - the Team will be doing a “simulated Open Water Swim” on Saturday, when I have the Treat’Em Right. Hopefully Sedonia does have a line on a wetsuit for me – otherwise it’s me and my surfing shortie in Aquatic Park on the 20th when we do the Open Water - brrrr! Next Sunday though, after the Treat’Em Right on Saturday, I’m taking Leann out to “sag wagon” for us in Petaluma on our long ride before taking her back to the airport - mixing Life WITH Iron! Yay!

So, this is the note that we got from Run Coach Simon about the workout that I just finished:

There IS a marker on your schedule for tomorrow.  I thought I’d send out a quick explanation because it might not completely make sense on the spreadsheet.  First, if you’re feeling sore tomorrow, feel free to postpone the workout until later in the week.  I’d prefer if you did it on fresh legs.  Second, you’re going to run 10 800’s (half a mile…you can do it on a track or a flat section of road) as fast as you can (most likely, your 800m pace associated with your VDOT score is going to be what you can handle for 10 of them, since you’ll be resting in between).  So, if your VDOT is 34, your 800m-repeat pace is 4:13 per 800.  I want you to do at least the first 6-7 800’s at 4:13.  If you’re feeling good, try to do the last 3-4 faster (as fast as you can).  If you’re not feeling great, just try to hang on to a pace as close to 4:13 as you can.

How much rest should you take in between each one?  If your current VDOT score is between 0-30, take 4 minutes rest in between 800’s.  If your VDOT score is 30-60, take 3 minutes rest in between 800’s.  Note:  this is a long speed workout…a person with a VDOT of 28 would likely take 90 minutes to complete it.  Budget your time accordingly.

 What I need from each of you afterwards is the average of your ten 800 times (and any notes regarding your experience during the workout…did you feel fatigued?  Did you work on a particular part of your form?).  So, if you did 4:21, 4:23, 4:20, 4:25, 4:26, 4:24, 4:20, 4:17, 4:12, 4:05, then your average would be 4:19…that’s the number I need.  I’ll provide individual feedback when I receive that number from you.

AND. SO. When I started in November, I had a VDOT of 25 (and I was running too fast when we did the Marker, too – I got competitive - I probably should have been closer to a 23). This would mean (we have a chart) that my 800 time would be 5:37. The chart gives you pacing for various runs  based on your VDOT score – e.g., “2 mile marker” (which is what we do to get the VDOT), 5k, 5k pace/mile, easy, long, tempo, 800s, and marathon pace. I was pretty pleased that in December, when we did our second Marker run (when I was coming off of being sick, too), I had moved up to VDOT of 27 (the chart goes to 60, if you were curious – it starts at 10). That would be an 800 pace of 5:14.

OK, well, 5:14 seemed immensely fast to me, since in the previous 800 workouts I’ve done during weekly training, the best I’d ever done an 800 in was 6:10.

So I set out to do the 10 x 800s in Tiburon. I was supposed to meet Mentor Margaret and Iron Mel at 5:00 p.m. to do it together, but I realized once I “did the math” that this would put me home quite late, which wasn’t going to work. That was a bummer – I always love seeing them, they are always so great.

I did what I was supposed to do – run as hard as I could on the 800. I looked at my watch, TOTALLY confident I HAD to be close to that 5:14 pace. I mean – I was a 27 VDOT, after all, and that was taken WEEKS ago! So I bet I was maybe even a 28!  I was winded and did not feel so great – and I hadn’t even made 5:14, my watch read 5:19.

I was glad of the 4 minutes I had to walk and regroup, figuring that I must “somehow” have not quite given it all that first time. But with each successive 800, I felt like I was working harder and harder (on the 9th I actually had an asthma attack – crapola), and my times got longer and longer and longer.

My times (with 4 mins in between) were: 5:18, 5:19, 5:30, 5:37, 5:39, 5:44, 5:51, 5:56, 5:50, 5:55. This is an average of 5:39. That’s back down to between VDOT 25 and 26. Ah well, maybe the 27 was a fluke.

 I keep getting these Rude Awakenings. I read other athletes’ blogs, and they are all happy they are learning new things, kicking cancer, training like demons, etc. All I feel is super emotionally depressed. OK LOOK, I KNOW, I haven’t exercised since 2006. Not a freakin’ LICK. It’s only been since November 7th that I have done ANYTHING to move my body. But for some reason, my mind is just not getting around this concept. I think that it’s like the authors said in “Younger Next Year” – you just kinda “think” that you are still in the shape that you were when you were at your peak…or that you are not TOO far off. (e.g., the overweight ex-college football quarterback star polishing the trophies that date back decades, but “he could totally go out there and kick butt.”)

In the Louie on Sunday, I was an HOUR longer than I thought I would be. I’m not sure why, but again, I somehow still have my PR (3:16) in my head. Oh silly grrl, that was at the Chicago Sun-Times in ~1988~ – when you’d been training for a couple years AND you were in your 20s AND the bike course was dead-ass flat. But here again, in doing these repeats, I just felt so emotionally overwhelmed with how CRAPPY I am doing. I couldn’t even make the FIRST 800 time, much less, as Simon says above, for ”the first 6 or so.” I think I had the asthma attack on the 9th because of being so emotionally overwrought with how unfit, fat, and just overall old and crapped out I am.

Yeah so OK, my blog is not all about conquering obstacles and feeling great and kicking cancer and being an instrument for change. Today, it’s just about a grrl who let herself get to be a big fat cow and feels really down about it. And So It Goes.

For those of you who were not able to see the show yesterday (or the 3 of you who actually were in the studio audience – and accordingly have made it onto my “I Will Rescue You From A Mexican Jail” list!), here is the link to our interview yesterday. PLEASE leave me a comment and let me know what you think!!!

Here is the information that interested ABC-TV and the tips that we sent to them – I hope that you enjoy these as well!

Tips To Use To Increase Your Wellbeing In A Down Economy That Don’t Cost You Money AND Help You Lose Weight:
A No-Nonsense Approach to Relationship and Health Issues

 Introduction: Work/life balance is more crucial now than ever, given how the unexpected changes on Wall Street have affected the small business on Main Street, and trickled down into our homes and in particular our bedrooms. Our mission is to help women see dramatic changes in their lives, including better health (weight loss), increased happiness (more vibrant sex life & increased energy and drive) and improved financial security (additional money flowing into their businesses, if they are entrepreneurs). Statistics show a direct correlation between the stresses of work and the detrimental effect it has on a couple’s relationship and intimacy level; we’re teaming up to provide a no-nonsense approach to solving America’s relationship and health issues. Sandy and Sheila have a seminar coming up and the VFTB audience can go to www.empower180.com to receive information. Registered VFTB viewers will receive a 2 for one bonus on Sandy and Sheila’s books at the seminar.

1)     Women and Men are Different! (Your Life Will Be Easier The Sooner You Embrace This). 

1. Talk Your Belly Off… Women need to talk, talk, talk to get their oxytocin up, which raises levels of serotonin and decreases levels of cortisol, which is the “belly fat storing” chemical. So, decrease your stress and improve your relationship by simply putting 6 grrlfriends on your speed dial. Talking has been medically proven to be chemically necessary to women.  It will decrease your stress, and increase your receptivity to your husband and availability to your kids.
2. …Just Not To Your Husband! Men need to have a short To Do list and a goal to achieve. Men have on average 3x the serotonin of women – so if you are trying to “get your serotonin up” by talking things out with your husband instead of a woman, (a) he is going to start falling asleep like you just fed him a bunch of turkey, and (b) you’re going to frustrate the heck out of him as he’s trying to figure out the 3 things you want him to “do” while you’re on number 99 and talking a mile a minute!
3. Breathe Your Way To Wellbeing. There is also a VERY quick breathing exercise that increases a stress-reducing chemical in your body (nitric oxide) – this is one of Dr Oz’s favorites in fact – it’s important to know this breathing exercise (in through the nose on a 6 count, hold, then out on a 6 count) and “how to breathe” (into the belly versus raising the shoulders).
4. Your Husband Will Love To Hear This: More Sex Is Good.  Though we try to avoid thinking about this, we are all mammals, and touching, sensuality, and sex increases things you want to increase (feelings of wellbeing, bone density) and decreases things we want to decrease (depression, blood pressure, etc.) (here is the link to this page in Fempowerment book. If this link does not work, go to Amazon.com, search on book “Fempowerment” then use “Look Inside” feature and search on “osteoporosis” – it will take you to the correct page in the book with the facts list and references.)

2)     Create An EnvironMENTALLY Friendly Zone In Your Physical Space. Organization is key to decreasing stress and having time and space for your relationships – so take the time to clean your physical space. We all have areas of our life that are cluttered. Just as we discuss how to remove your mental clutter (next 2 tips), you need to de-clutter your physical environment.  When you get organized and de-clutter, you feel lighter and rightly so…You have lost weight in your home! This will allow you to lighten your mind and become more creative with your thoughts – and more receptive to your mate.

 3)     End The Endless To Do List. Women are extremely talented at multi-tasking.  Yet, there are only 24-hours in each day.  So, the best phrase you can learn to adopt is…”Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” Before you commit to the next task or project, pause and ask yourself if this is something that you can and want to do. If you instead go on a Guilt Trip, you will continue to find yourself on a never ending path of To-Dos. Another great tip is, instead of saying “Yes” – if “No” is too harsh –  get a concession. For example, “I can drop off the kids if you can pick them up tomorrow afternoon.” Exchanging will help you lead a more balanced – and happier – life. 

 4)     Dump your Head-Trash™ Sheila Stewart coined this phrase. It summarizes the little voices that pipe up in our heads at the most inopportune times.  These voices are the ones that sabotage you right when you are ready to step out and take a chance, or make a bold move.  These voices say things like, “Who do you think you are?  You’re too young.  You’re too old.  You don’t have enough money. Your friend failed, how can you succeed.”  And on, and on, and on.  We have over 30,000 negative thoughts every day.  This equates to 85% of our thoughts.  That means only 15% of our thoughts are positive.  The key is to dump the voices every day and reverse the statistic.  When the voices enter your mind, dump them out. 

 5)     Detox Your Relationships and Eliminate “Frenemies.”  Just as you detox your body to remove the excess and sludge that is causing fatigue and low energy, you must detox your relationships. Once we realize that our “Head Trash” often turns into gossip, fear, and stress in our lives, we can recognize and address the fact that our worst enemy is often “inside” of us – drawing toxic people to us. By doing a Frenemy (friends who are really enemies) Audit, we can create an environment that is filled with only clean and positive relationships. This includes friends, family, business colleagues – even clients!  When you evaluate each relationship, determine if it is helping you or hindering you.  If it is hindering you, time to detox! Wean off the toxic people slowly – but surely. The key is to become aware. We are becoming more aware of what we put in our bodies, yet we so often overlook what – and whom! – we surround our bodies with! Our challenge is to ramp it up in 2010 and create a healthy and wealthy mindset and lifestyle.

 6)     Become a Balancepreneur^TM.  There are five areas in any woman’s life, and Sheila coined this word to help women find their life balance. If she is “low” in one area, she can “borrow” from another area. For example, if she is low in money but high in her social relationships, she might find a way to turn a beloved recipe into an entrepreneurial venture! What does “balance” mean – to you?

I’m on Live today (or as Live as I can be, considering I couldn’t sleep last night for some reason!) on The View From The Bay!

If you are going to be in the audience – thanks in advance! If you can’t make it, here is the link to the live feed!

I’m on with another gal, and we only have 4 minutes. I hope that it goes well! Now to go shower, get my duds on (and makeup – huh what’s that?) then off and running!

Here’s our writeup and topic – our “Tips” will be posted on the View From The Bay website, and I will link them here later on today or tomorrow. They run to 3 pages – for a 4 minute interview! Oh dear!

Increase Your Wellbeing In A Down Economy with Tips  That Don’t Cost You Money AND Help You Lose Weight:
A No-Nonsense Approach to Relationship and Health Issues

Introduction: Work/life balance is more crucial now than ever, given how the unexpected changes on Wall Street have affected the small business on Main Street, and trickled down into our homes and in particular our bedrooms. Our mission is to help women see dramatic changes in their lives, including better health (weight loss), increased happiness (more vibrant sex life & increased energy and drive) and improved financial security (additional money flowing into their businesses, if they are entrepreneurs). Statistics show a direct correlation between the stresses of work and the detrimental effect it has on a couple’s relationship and intimacy level; we’re teaming up to provide a no-nonsense approach to solving America’s relationship and health issues. Sandy and Sheila have a seminar coming up and the VFTB audience can go to www.empower180.com to receive information. Registered VFTB viewers will receive a 2 for one bonus on Sandy and Sheila’s books at the seminar. 

Tips To Use To

Yesterday was the Louie Bonpua Memorial Triathlon – named for a TNT athlete who succumbed to cancer, as I understand it, about 9 years ago. H and Dad were volunteering – well – DAD was volunteering. H was “volunteered” by me, and he was not all that happy about it. It started about a week out, when Dad sent an email that he would meet us at the Ferry Terminal “at 6:00″ but of course that’s the middle of the night to H. We picked up Dad around 6:20, so Dad was a little pissed we were “late” (though I had told him he would be sitting in the car), and H was a little pissed because were so “early.” Ah. Life.

We watched the sunrise over a snowy Mt Diablo, and arrived at the location with plenty of time. Since I had 2 Volunteers, I got the prime “close parking lot” location, instead of having to hoof all my gear from quite a distance away in the “Athlete” parking lot. Yes!

It had been raining for a week – I’d dutifully done training while we were on vacation in Carmel (including 2 hours 10 minutes on the trainer instead of the 35 mile ride on the calendar – watching lightening play over Pt Lobos), but wasn’t totally sure I was prepared. This was my first Olympic Distance tri since Chicago in ‘88! Sure, it was supposed to be practice, and it was a pool not an Open Water swim, but it was still Olympic distance (1500 swim/60 laps; 27 mile bike; 6 mile/10k run).

My “fear factor” really only surrounded things I couldn’t control – like bike flats or bike-wheel-swallowing ruts in the road (which we were warned of). I wasn’t afraid I could “do it,” because bar none, TNT has the best system to prepare an athlete for their event. It includes coaches, captains, mentors,volunteers and of course, our honorees, a few of whom I met at the tri. Everyone is there to get you over the finish line. If they thought we could all do it – we could all do it.

I was just about the first athlete there (volunteers had to check in an hour early), and the bike racks weren’t even set up when we pulled in. H and Dad helped the South Bay team get them in place, and I picked my spot. Nothing like getting the primo positioning! I messed around laying things out, including various “I might need this” items. A true plus that I threw in at the last moment: A shoe horn. A minus: I had a tiny sample of Chamois Butt’r instead of the big tube . . . I thought I was being clever and saving space, instead, I forgot to apply it. YOWCH!

Setting Up Vlad At The Transition Area - Note My Big Swim Parka!

We were separated into 3 “groups” for the Swim. I had started in G1 in November and had moved up to G2, but I knew that my bike was going to be slow with Pig Farm Hill, so Sedonia allowed me to swim with G1. The best part was that she also found me a spot with Cory (we were 2 in a lane) next to the stairs, as I have not been able to successfully “hoist” myself out of the high lip of that pool even once in training!  Normally we do a 300 warmup then about 450 worth of drills, but this was just Jump In And Get To It!

When we started, there were only people standing on the “starting side” of the deck (coaches and our lap counters, plus the next group of swimmers). As time passed, more folks gathered on the “far” side of the lane as well. As you couldn’t just rely on the counter for 60 laps, I figured it would be easy to know if I was “going or coming back” because I had people on one side, none on the other. My poor little mind got confused when folks started gathering at the “clear” end, too! Luckily my counting stayed on target, as my counter shouted out “last lap!” just as my brain said the same thing.

peeling off my cap and goggles and heading for the bike!

I think I was about the 4th person out of the water in the G1 group. I was almost sad to leave the water, as it was nice and toasty and it was about 42 degrees on deck!

I did the 1,500 yards in 31 minutes 1 second - close to a PR for me – counting back into the ’80s when I was doing tris! In my “trial 1500″ the week before I had done 32 minutes; my 100 averages when we did the 12 x 100 were right in the 2:06/2:07 range, so I was right on track. OK so I’d hoped to go sub 30 minutes (and get a PR), but I was glad I was under 32. I have been listening to a podcast and receiving emails from Coach Kevin a Tri Swim Coach, and if you are a newbie to triathlon swimming (or, well, what am I, and “old-bie” starting up again?), you gotta check these out. His podcasts are particularly nice to listen to (I usually listen on my runs) because he keeps them to a good length, and he always has good info and is just, well, cheerful. I have incorporated some of his tips and I know that, combined with our TNT coach’s watchful eyes, this is why I am counting down towards that PR in the 1500!

Coach Dave gave me a big cheer when I got out of the pool, and I heard some other folks yelling my name which always feels so great! I was really concentrating on not slipping though, as I headed out of the pool and into the transition area, so I couldn’t show my appreciation. I hope they all know how great it made me feel!!

My transition time (including of course the ubiquitous Potty Break – Teammate Janice and I want Tshirts that say “I Race 2 Potty”….) was 9 minutes 17 seconds. Yes, I have figured out the Lap Timer on my circa 1988 Timex Ironman watch! It was sooo hard to get the swimsuit off and the bike shorts and long pants, socks, etc. on while damp. I was just glad that I had thought out my “bra strategy” and wore a tri bra under my swimsuit. I had to help Tiff into hers (she was out of the water before me), as she had the “stuck on the shoulders/back/rolldown” problem. I am glad my strategy worked. I definitely need to check out trishorts, as I think that would make a huge difference. Other women had on trishorts, just pulled the bike shorts on “over” them, then pulled the bike shorts off to run. Finally, I strapped on the helmet, gloves, Camelbak and of course started my TUNES! Yes, I had my iPod in my little $12 stereo speaker case in the top of the Camelbak. Only headphones are illegal on the Ironman – not speakers!

I caught up to Tiff and Liz as we were on the first longish straightaway after all the traffic lights and turning to get out of the more populated area. They each loved the fact that I had my Tunes – then as faster folks passed me on the bike, they commented on it too. It was fun since there were South Bay folks that I’d never met before. Everyone was super nice. I was riding for a first time with Mentor Margaret’s borrowed Bento Box. I learned something very early on…if you don’t flip the “top” of the box back, Bento Box plus Bump In Road equals Nutrition On Road.  D’oh! I also wound up “dumping my chain” on one of the hills before the infamous Pig Farm Hill – I got it back on (thank you, Iron University “chain dump” class!), but wow, it was hard to get back going on the hill. I didn’t cry though! ;-) (I felt like it.)

The ride was the same one I wrote about a while back – out and back from Pleasant Hill to Pinole with a pass up and over Pig Farm Hill. Dad and H were at the first Bike Aid Station which was at about mile 9 (on the back side of Pig Farm Hill). It was great to see them. Since I had been in the G1 swimmers, I was one of the first people they saw.

Funny story (or, not so funny) – the ONE thing that I wanted to be sure I had was my bike computer. I hadn’t had it when we did Pig Farm Hill the previous time, and I had a whole “Are we THERE YET?” experience. This time, H was really careful to zero the computer out, make sure it was on ok, etc. – but we didn’t check the magnets! During transport (or perhaps when we took the bikes to Carmel), the magnets got misadjusted – so once again, I was in an “Are we THERE YET?” situation. Argh! Actually, it worked “a little” which was worse. When we’d gone about 3 miles I looked down – and it said 0.8. I was very surprised/depressed/freaked out! It wasn’t until a bit later when I looked down and it STILL said 0.8 that I realized the problem. OK, so, the story. There were about 7 guys at the first Bike Aid Station (including H). I saw him, and met his eyes, and shouted: “The computer doesn’t work!” as I flew on by. Apparently the guys all just stood around, and H didn’t say anything. They were waiting on the next biker to show up (which was a while). H said he finally said, “That was my wife.” The other guys started CRACKING up – apparently they were all trying to figure out why this girl had shouted out about the computer at the Aid Station – and what they were supposed to do to help if I didn’t stop! That got them talking though, and sort of “bonded” the Aid Station #1 Group!

The ride was an out-and-back, and of course at the 2nd Aid Station there was supposed to be a Port-A-Potty – but I couldn’t see it. Coming down the hill and slowing down I shouted to the guys manning the Station: “Restroom? Restroom?” They looked very quizzical (oh come on boys, you are GOING to have to know this…there are lots of older women on this race LOL!) and finally I just shouted “POTTY?” and they pointed to the 2nd driveway. I was quick, but just that one bit getting off and back on the bike made my legs tighten up.

I had fun with Teammate Brian K when he whizzed past me on his bike on the 2nd 1/2 of the bike ride. I always tease him that the REAL reason that I ride is so that I can see those cute boy “badonkadonks” when they pass me by! He is such a great guy he must have had a great race, since he was a G2 swimmer and SMOKED past me on the bike. I liked cheering everyone as they came down the hill towards me. I could pretend I was in the lead since I was on the 2nd 1/2, even though I knew a lot of them were G2 and G3 swimmers, so “time-wise” they were way in front of me!

Coach Les picked me up on the last hill before Pig Farm Hill, and coached me up that hill and then part of the way up Pig Farm. I didn’t get as far as I got last time (the Speed Limit Sign), but I hadn’t of course swum 1500 laps before last time, either. It was a lot easier to keep going when I could just keep my eye on his back wheel. I’m still a little leery of really ‘drafting’ or riding close, but that was so much easier than actually looking “up the hill” as I rode. When I said I had to get off and walk, I watched as Les charged up the hill, picked up another Teammate on their way down, and then I’m sure he rode another one like me up, back, up, back. That’s how giving our coaches are! It was an amazing thing just to watch. Coach Mike K. also ran down Pig Farm Hill when it was obvious I was really flagging – in his bike shoes! – to “Atta Girl” me up and over the top. I love our coaches. SOME day I’m going to have a photo of myself RIDING up Pig Farm Hill! (They take the photos at the crest – I already have a pushing one from last time!)

The one really good thing and goal that I met was to drain my entire Camelbak on the bike. I actually finished it right over Pig Farm Hill, so that was about 2/3 of the way through. I was happy with that, as I generally come back with it 1/2 full and I KNOW I have to practice “hydrating.” I used the Accellerade that has worked for me before (Big Sur Marathon). I also did my best to try to eat – I got a couple GU down, a few Margarita Shot Blocs, but I didn’t feel much like eating and had to figure the Accellerade would give me what I needed. Of course, the fact I had jettisoned some of the food out of the Bento Box didn’t help!

Dad and H caught up to me driving back when I was just about done, and gave me some Atta Girls. Dad started offering me food out of the passenger window (Date? Apple?) which was pretty funny. I was afraid to try anything that I hadn’t actually prepared. Come to find out the dates looked like they had peanuts on them – !!! – nothing like anaphylaxis to ruin the day!!

The ride took me 2 hours and 21 minutes. The transition was quick – 2 minutes – because I literally just threw off the Camelbak and the helmet, threw on my race number and shoes (thank you shoe horn!) and headed off. Yea, in the padded bike shorts. Frankly it didn’t really feel that bad.

I had decided I would do a 5 minute run/2 minute walk pace, and headed out doing that. I was definitely a little stiff starting out, but that 5/2 pace really works for me. When I’m near the end of the 5 minutes, I am SO READY to stop – but when I’m near the end of the 2 minutes, I am ready to go again. I ended up running the 5.5 mile course in 66 minutes. I think that’s about the right pace – I’m in somewhere around the 13 minute/mile “category” in the runs, and I felt I was right in line. I carried another bottle of fluid replacer (NUUN) with me, and told myself I had to have it emptied by the turnaround. I did and at the 2nd Aid Station I went to fill it, but they only had water (which doesn’t sit in my stomach well) and the powder mix separate, not mixed. As it wasn’t a widemouth bottle, they tried to pour the water in then the spoonful of mix – ugh! Pink goo on my hands. Ah well, we all tried. I downed that on the way back, and chucked the bottle. NOTE TO SELF: Have widemouth bottles (or get them to mix the stuff in a cup, first)!

They had set up a Finish Line with a “tape” to break through, which was fun. (Total time 4 hours, 10 minutes.) Merla from LLS went to put my “medal” on my neck as I crossed the Line, but I sent Coach Dave into a fit of laughter as I just ran straight by her and into the bathroom! Yes, as I said, “I Race 2 Potty.” Well  at least I know that my hydration levels were up!

I saw Dad, but unfortunately H was nowhere to be found. Dad told me that, as we were running, it had really started to rain in earnest. H was concerned, as he knew I only had my bike jersey and pants – no waterproofs. He set out to try to “meet” the run course and find me, to get me the jacket. (Nice, eh?) Well, the run course actually was “crossed” by a few roads, but it was mainly what I guessed was an old railway – as it was not really on roads at all. So what did this mean? That I had to wait around in very wet clothes for about 10 minutes, until H got back…since he’d very considerately packed up all my clothes/transition gear in the car to keep them from getting wet! (Oops!)

Though H wanted to leave and it was definitely chilly, we all stayed around until everyone was in. It was a while, since of course we had had that staggered start. It was fun though, especially as the last 3 we got to cheer across the “line” were from our North Bay Team. Dave had gotten us some awesome burritos from Chipotle, and there were cookies as well.  OK maybe I race for the potty AND food at the end!

We got home, and I headed immediately to a bath with the special Tired Old Ass Soak that Dad had gifted me with that morning. I then headed in for a “nap” that lasted 6 hours (oops!). Got up a little groggy with a hankerin’ for grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato basil soup – neither of which were in the house at 8:00 p.m.  H was a SERIOUS trooper and actually hauled out in the rain to Safeway to get me some. Dinner, a little TV, then back to bed again!

So, what was the best part of the day? It was actually this morning, when I get up to get my arse to the chiropractor to try to get something done about These Knees. I opened up my email over a cup of tea, realizing that it was also the first day of our 40 days of Lent and my trying to match Will McCormick’s weight loss feats! The first email that I got was from H, which he’d written at midnight:

Subject: thank you…

 …for signing me up as a volunteer for today’s event. I learned a couple of new things, met a few people, had a tiny adventure, and certainly not such a terrible time.

That is a wonderful email from my Austrian! Who also informed me that after watching all my teammates and the South Bay team roar past him on the bike (and experiencing the “horror” of Pig Farm Hill - even bad in the CAR), that he would fund my New Bike For Sandy fund. Who-hoo! I already emailed Teammate Will McCormick to see what we might be able to do with the money.  Yippee! A friend for Vlad!

Oh, and, in case you were wondering, the world record in the Olympic Distance triathlon is 1 hour, 39 minutes, 50 seconds. My previous PR (in 1988 of course) was 3 hours 16 minutes. I have to admit when I added up my times and saw I was over 4 hours, I got a little depressed. NO, we are not supposed to compare ourselves (even to ourselves!) and all that jazz…it just felt really REALLY long to me. Of course, H pointed out that I did my PR in Chicago, on a totally FLAT course for the bike – there is DEFINITELY no Pig Farm Hill there (and no chain dump). That made me feel a little better. I still want under 4 hours though! :-)

The workout for today is a Swim, then a Spin. Got up this morning to do the Swim early, then realized that at 7:30 a.m., the JCC would probably be teaming with folks trying to get a workout in before going to work. So I did some work – rebooting my computer 52,000 times as I went (more on that later) – and headed out at about 9:00.

I had to park in the “alternate” parking lot, which filled me with trepidation. I loathe swimming when there are a ton of folks in the lane. I “Iron’d Up” and headed on in – and holy cats was the locker room full! I have never seen so many people in there. I was lucky enough to snag a towel and a locker and headed out and . . . thank goodness! My “strategy” paid off – there were only about 1/2 dozen people in the pool, so I was actually able to get my favorite lane all to myself.

The workout was:

300 EZ Warmup then

3 x( 3x 50) Drills – Made up of:  3 x (25 Kick, 25 swim back) ; 3 x (25 “catch up” 25 swim back), then 3 x (25 Scull, 25 swim back).

I am not a big fan of the “Catch Up” drill. For the Kick drill, I just kick lying on my back while running one hand down the lane divider so I don’t roam all over the lane; the Scull is kind of fun to practice “feeling” the water (imagine basically a breast stroke armstroke, where you are concentrating on “catching and pushing” the water). The “Catch Up” involves putting one hand straight out, and doing the freestyle stroke with the other hand “into” that hand (e.g., tapping it), then letting  the other hand stroke, and repeating that. I think I LEARN a lot every time I do it – it really makes you pay attention to the stroke of each single arm, each single time. But breathing is a b*tch for some reason, so it’s not my fav.

Next, Breathing Drills. We had to do a 50 (2 lengths) breathing every 9 strokes, then a 100 breathing every 7, a 150 breathing every 5, a 200 breathing every 3, then a 250 breathing first 3, then 5, then 7, then 9 each length. I did OK on the “breathing every 9 strokes” set – maybe because I was fresh. The “breathing every 7″ for some reason didn’t work that well. I got to the 75 and had to actually stop in the middle of the lane, and breathe for a bit. It was odd. Breathing every 5 was fine, as was breathing every 3. The 3-5-7-9 was okay, though it taxed my “mathematical capabilities” to keep track of the laps for the 250 AND which “set of breaths” I was on! It became a bit meditative actually. Well, meditative if you take into account that every time I would get to the 7 or the 9 I was cursing and blowing. Kind of “truck driver meditative.” (No offense, Jim, if you’re reading this (smile!))

I have had a bit of a Fear Factor thing going in the water for a few sessions. I think it was brought on by doing “lane crowding” drills a few weeks ago. Last night at Book Club, I was talking with Dr. Gayle about the whole thing – she does at least 2 Ironmans a year, and in fact is now winning money in her age group. I mentioned that my worst experience was one of my last – a “fun” triathlon in Tiburon. She mentioned she had done the same tri with her two sons recently, and it FREAKED her out! She felt a bit like being in a crowded mall at Christmas and suddenly losing track of her kids. I smiled at that.

I digress, but that’s how I am – Book Club was interesting last night in fact. We met to discuss Faith and Treason, a book about the Gunpowder Plot/Guy Fawkes, but wound up spending a fair bit of time on – Me. Two of the gals are real ath-uh-letes and can’t even IMAGINE spending a DAY not doing something athletic – a few others are “mildly athletic” and then one of the other gals and I were basically in agreement that if we could just read books and cook as our form of athletics we would be VERY HAPPY indeed. Funny conversation. The athletes definitely couldn’t fathom anyone who would not WANT to “get moving” every single day, so they cheerily wanted to accompany me in training whenever I wanted. It’s hard to say “no” when folks are so excited to “help” – but (in case you haven’t figured this out yet) I am not a pleasant person when I’m training. This path to the Ironman for me is to show myself, and my coaching clients, that completely Unattainable Dreams can be made into Attainable Goals by following particular steps. When I was doing triathlons in my 20s, it was to train to get into the Marines (and I attained that Goal). This time, it’s to jump into the deep, cold water all at once and just get on with it, as suggested in Younger Next Year.

Back to that Fear Factor. Honestly – I should never EVER have seen Jaws when I was 12 – but that’s a whole different story. Talk about scarred. So last night, I discussed this with my best friend and hypnotherapist, Sue Bird. Sue is an amazing hypnotherapist. You can go back to some podcasts last year on this website if you like, in fact, where she graciously did 3 recordings for listeners to download for free – for folks who want to get Rid Of the crap in their lives and Get On With greatness. (In fact, I should probably re-download them myself!) After talking out the Fear Factor with her, she said that she would do a CD for me, addressing the issue. She does a lot of swimming herself (she’s a recordholder and swam competitively for years), and so she had a lot of ideas. Swimming today, I had to think about what would work for me. She had mentioned something like a Force Field surrounding me – that worked so long as it didn’t “surround” my arms and my head. As I got to puzzling over it more, I realized that the Force Field that I like looks suspiciously like my first Quintana Roo wetsuit! (laugh!) This made me wonder if the Fear Factor thing actually started not when we did the lane crowding drills, but when I was told that it’s likely we will not be able to wear wetsuits in Louisville. My old Quintana Roo wetsuit is long gone (gone with my svelte 26-year-old bod), but I have a surfer wetsuit that works fine . . . I just like the buoyancy a wetsuit gives. So yes, I am going to have Sue do that CD – but I also need to start putting out little offerings to the Kentucky Weather Gods and Goddesses that we can wear wetsuits in the race!

OK, enough theorizing there . . .

The final part of the workout (you thought I’d forgotten, huh?) was a 300 yard Swim, breathing “regularly,” at our race pace. That went fine. It was actually pretty nice today (it’s been in the 40s – today it’s drizzly but in the 60s) so I didn’t rue getting out of the water.

Changed, went downstairs, and discovered I only had a few bucks – the gal in the Cafe graciously comp’d me a hard boiled egg to my coffee and pumpkin nut bread. Yes, I am still “treating” myself over getting workouts done. I told her that she’d done her Mitzvah for the day!

a candid of me with my cousin in 2006 - pre-poundage

Treats. That’s the thing. I keep getting notes from friends (or sidelong glances). They either think I must be “a stick” because of the training (these are the ones who don’t live nearby), or they don’t actually BELIEVE that I’m DOING all the training (these are the ones who actually can see my body). I am heavier than I’ve ever been in my life. And it’s ugly, dimply, “omentum and butt and thighs and jowls” fat. The kind where you button your jeans and have to lug the stomach out and over the waistband. Sure, I know how I ‘got this way’ – eating too much, drinking too much, and exercising not at all. I just don’t like it. Every other time in my life that I’ve “gotten ath-uh-letic” I have been able, in a few weeks, to slim all that stuff off. Not now. I can most assuredly see that my metabolism Ain’t What She Used To Be. Just seeing photos of myself actually makes me depressed and weepy. My teammates don’t know what I “should” look like, so they give me the old “you are TOTALLY still slim, shut up” thing. I guess I should post some photos of what I “really” look like – so that people can see the difference. Where I want to be back to. But it’s not happening fast – I don’t see anything in fact, and I’m in Week 10. My Facebook and geographically disparate friends don’t believe it – but then, they haven’t seen me lately, either. 40 pounds is 40 pounds. H and I are going to Carmel for a week next week – then I’m just, sadly, going to have to put us on an Eating Plan. We really don’t want to do it – but he’s the one who came up with it. He sees how much exercise I’m doing, and that it’s not making a difference – in large part because we eat and drink on his schedule (late, rich, large portions, and with wine). I don’t want to stop doing that – but something’s gotta give. Though my teammates say ‘You’re still slim,’ my body knows it’s lugging around 40 pounds that it doesn’t know what to deal with. And that really REALLY shows on things like the Bike and the Run. Just for grins, next time you’re at the grocery store, go and look for one of those sacks of potatoes or of apples. They usually come in 5 pound, 10 pound, sometimes you can get bigger ones if you go to the country stores. But take a look – and then do the math. It’s a LOT OF WEIGHT. And my body doesn’t know what to do with it – and I’m not helping it, by continuing to eat on H’s schedule and making what he likes to eat (and drink).

Finally – so – the computer. It’s freakin’ possessed. Last night after lamenting my umpteenth re-boot, a client told me to hold a rock in one hand because it would “absorb the energy” or something along those lines. I was at my wit’s end, so I did it. And added a very nice caramel-colored pyramid-shaped crystal, right next to the Power button – to boot. (As it were.) It worked. I did what I had to do last night, and then H ran a big disc cleanup, magic whoo-haa thing all night after I went to bed. This morning – it worked for a bit, then busted again. I went Swimming, came back, still busted (and I was supposed to do an interview for my podcast today. ARGH!) I put a note on Facebook about it, and a Facebook friend said, “What about the rock and the crystal?” So I went back to H’s desk, and retrieved them from where he had worked on the computer last night – and put them back on.

And it’s working just fine now. Figures, eh?

Time to get down into the garage, and do the hour-long Bike Trainer workout. 15 minute warmup, 9 x (5 minutes HARD/2 minutes EASY), 15 minute cooldown. Laters!

The Cupcake Girls - and Jakie of course.

Sunday the 10th was a Mentor Run. Mentor Margaret set it up in her town of Napa, and we ran between all the cupcake stores!

Jake and Herbert came with me to the run. Our “merry band” included Coaches Jen Jay, Sedonia, Helen, Mentor Margaret, Tiffany and me. Coach Helen mentioned that she hadn’t been out to the runs much – but the cupcakes spurred her on! I would love to make a little baseball cap with a cupcake on a stick for her (smile).

It was about a 5-6 miles run, starting at the Oxbow Market, down First Street over the highway, to a Cupcake store there, then back. It was pretty chilly. Everyone sort of ran in packs. It was fun. You’d chat for a bit with one person, then stop to get a breather, then be running with someone else, etc. After we turned around, H and Jake and I actually wound up running a bit faster and so got back first. I’m not sure how that happened – probably because, as usual (ahem), I had to get to the potty.

We had breakfast in Napa together, then I headed back to Marin with my “men.” I can’t believe that I forgot to buy cupcakes after the breakfast! Silly me! They looked gorgeous. Once again, it was time for a nice warm bath, then I put the CD version of Younger Next Year from the library on my iPod, and tidied my way around the house. The end of the Cincinnati Chili for dinner, and off to bed! And as I write all this (Monday), it’s a Rest Day – yippee!!!

Coach Skip & Head Coach Dave, bringin' sexy back.

Saturday (January 9th) ended our 9th week of Iron Training. We were back out to Pleasant Hill, this time for a Bike, Swim and Core/Strength Day. I was minus my trusty Navigatrix Iron Mel, as she was sick (get well quick, Mel!) On the way, the sunrise was amazing . . . so amazing that it made me actually want to stop my car at the 580/880/24 Maze and take a photo of the 100s of shades of Red and Orange rising over Oakland. Good thing I had forgotten my camera, huh?

Got to the parking lot and unloaded my bike – Mentor Margaret immediately noticed my new bike shoes that H had bought for me the day before, as well as H’s ski pants I had stolen to wear! The shoes are Shimano mountain biking shoes – when we tried on shoes in the store, the “slippiness” of the regular road shoes brought me right back to that intersection in Arlington, VA 20 years ago when I fell into traffic because I couldn’t get “traction” on the road surface! OK, that was with the huge LOOK bindings, and all that jazz, but the kinesthetic feeling of my foot going “out from under me” as I put pressure on it made panic well up in my chest. The Shimanos were about 2x what H wanted to pay, but they fit SUPER well, and there weren’t all that many options in My-Darling-Clementine-She-Wore Boxes-For-Shoes size. (If you’re curious, the ski pants are tight ones with the zipper ankle that H wears when we go out biking – I “stole” them for my ride.) Anyway – Mentor Margaret said that I “looked like a Cyclist” and when I dissembled, she said “You are supposed to say THANK YOU now.” So funny.

the pig farm!

It was cold – I had about 4 layers on top, as well as my Camelbak. Didn’t bring my tunes – a mistake I won’t make next time! It was foggy, but as we climbed up the “front” part (which I think is actually the ‘back’ in reality) of Pig Farm Hill, I certainly got warm. So warm that I had to pull my glasses down my nose, because I completely fogged them up!

looking down from the top of Pig Farm Hill (10% grade)

I realized a lot of things on that ride, especially on the way out (I realized things on the way back, but they were not as nice of things). I realized why I needed my computer to be set. (Not knowing how far I had gone made me feel like the 3 year old in the back seat, “Are we there yet, Mama?”) I realized how to get the bike shoe “into” the baskets so that it wouldn’t slip. I realized that I need more practice hydrating (that it’s not innate for me). I realized how super extra pretty that area of the world is. I realized how much I like it when I hear cowbells and cheers from a Sag Wagon! I realized how much I needed Jen Jay at the top of the hill to tell me I was AT the top of the hill! I realized that our team is becoming less of a bunch of folks getting together to work out, and more of a family.

I don’t really think I understood it was an “out and back” ride until reaching the top of the hill, and Jen Jay told me so. I thought the hill was hellish, but I had “done it” and thought I was pretty Damned Special. (laugh) Especially as Head Coach Dave had mentioned walking parts of it. However, starting down the other side, I realized that it was way, way too early to pat myself on the back. The “back” side of Pig Farm Hill (again, the “back” to me - after looking it up in some Cycling Blogs I think that’s really the front) was a 10% grade, and even with my brakes hard on, I descended at a fair clip. Not as fast, however, as Will, who had shown up late to the ride, and went by so fast that you could LITERALLY not “see” him, you just saw colorful streaks. I have never been close to someone riding so fast and it was breathtaking. Funny thing: He called “On your left!” from FAR behind us (I was riding near 2 other gals at that time), so you could just BARELY hear his voice. But he whizzed past not even a second after. I am surprised that he didn’t actually surpass his words – I think he MIGHT have been going faster than the Speed of Sound!

Once I got onto the “flatter downhill” portion of the “back of Pig Farm Hill,” I started to worry about what it would be like coming back. This is the route we will be doing on the Olympic Triathlon in a couple of weeks. It was down, down, down hill with a little flat. That meant it would be up, up, uphill on the way back. I made a mental note to be SURE to drive the Louisville course. When I did my last triathlon – the Avon Tri in Sacramento – H and I drove what parts of the course that we could (some of it was on the levy). It is SO important. If you have SOME idea where you are going, you can have markers for your brain. Silly me hadn’t even zeroed out her computer on this ride, so I didn’t have a clue.

In heading on down towards the turn around, I was of course greeted by all the rest of the team, coming back up! It was fun to “Whoot! Whoot!” for all these amazing athletes!

I turned around where Coach Simon told me to at about 13-14 miles, and headed on back. I stubbornly tried to get farther up the 10% grade part of Pig Farm than I probably should have (it’s that “Year Of The Ox” in me). When I got off to finally push, I could barely walk. Not good! I really have to remember to walk the bike SOONER during the Triathlon – since I still will have the Run in front of me!

Walking up Pig Farm Hill

Helen was at the top of the hill to take some photos of us. I felt very disheartened. She did say that I was not “the only one” who had to push – but in going through the Ironteam Photos from the day, I was relieved to see that this was true, not just for one or two of us. As I remounted the bike, I really, honestly, felt weak and depressed, and thought “I am not sure I am made of the right Stuff for this.” But I also knew I was as far from the car as I could possibly be . . . and without a bunch of flats or a broken leg, it seemed unlikely I would get a Sag Wagon pickup! The rest of the course back was uneventful – one hill where I was back down in my lowest gear, but only one. I caught up with a couple of folks at the end, and we all rode back to the cars together. Then it was time for the Swim.

Yup – we weren’t done yet! We did a bunch of drills. I was in Skip’s group (he’s the taller of the “Sexyback Coaches” at the top of the page), and he was really helpful to me, working on the “front end” of my stroke. I feel very confident in the “back end” of my stroke, since Coach DeAnn worked and worked and worked on that with me back in Dinosaur Times when I did my last race. Skip actually said that I had that down which made me feel good – I hadn’t lost it! I wish that there were easier things for me to do to really get the “stretching and scooping” front end stuff. On the back end of the stroke, touching my thigh with my thumb, feeling my palm pushing and then “looking” at the back of the pool and all that jazz is so much easier than just “reach farther.” Hm.

I wound up cramping up after about 1,000 yards or so – one of my calves. Definitely did not get enough electrolytes or probably even hydration on the bike. Skip had some jelly-like “blocks” that had electrolytes in them, and I took one of those and about 10 minutes or so later the cramp eased up. I remember from Summer Camp I was CONSTANTLY having to take “salt replacement tablets” – so this week is going to be all about researching that stuff.

I’m trying to think of what the Swim workout was…to put it here. I know that I wasn’t in the pool until folks were well underway – I came in after everyone was already warmed up and then doing a kick/catchup/build drill. I know we had one drill that was 2 50s at L3, 2 100s at L4, 3 150s at L5, 2 100s at L6, 2 50s at L7; I also know we had some other drill that was somewhat similar (with a 300 in the middle). Lots of yards, suffice it to say.

I look shifty - like I'm trying to get out of it!

After the Swim workout was Strength/Core. I didn’t have a lot of gas left. Coach Sedonia also went through how to set up a transition area for the triathlon that we are doing in a couple weeks, at the same facility. It will be 1500 yard swim (in the pool), then that dreaded bike route, then I think 5-6 mile run. The only difference between this and any other “transition-talk” I’ve been to was that I realized there is NO way I would be able to do the bike/run in my swimsuit, as I had done before. Even my 2-piece Tyr suit (if I were brave enough to wear it with my current gut) would be a “cha-cha biter” and so we talked a bit about those of us who don’t have actual “trisuits” to swim/bike/run in and where we could have a supplemental changing room so as not to Scare the Natives.

Got home and helped H a bit with the remodel, but got progressively colder and colder so he set me up with a bath and a book (and my Camelbak on the robe hook for “hydration”). That fixed me up, and I made an awesome “Cincinnati Chili” dinner for us. I think H was surprised that I didn’t go straight from the bath to bed, but I am trying to be better!

After dinner, I (ahem) had to have him put some Neosporin on, as Coach Helen calls it, my “Horseshoe of Death” from the bike ride. I thought that thick chamois bike shorts would be enough, but obviously I’m going to need to invest in Chamois “Butt’R” as well. I woke up at 3 a.m. feeling very “odd” in my legs – all I could think of was that I was feeling all those mitochondria, muscle cells, sinews and the rest growing, growing, growing! I was thankfully able to get back to sleep by 4 a.m., since H, Jake and I were doing the “Cupcake Run” in Napa the next day!

OK, so I totally suck at keeping track of mileage. I managed for all of ONE post (last one). So Be It! This is the Wednesday-Thursday-Friday post, then Saturday will have its own, and Sunday too! I’m catching all this up on Monday – the blessed REST day. Hallelujah!

gotta get back to this - by losing 35 lbs so I can invert again!

Wednesday was my pole dancing class, and it was (as always) a blast. In going in, I knew that this would be my last class for a while. It’s just gotten too prohibitive (time and $-wise) to come into the city in the middle of a weekday. I also have about 35 pounds too much “junk in my trunk,” and so I have not been able to do any of the more advanced moves – heck, I can barely climb and invert! I am going to up my practicing at home, and perhaps get back at it after the Ironman. I should have “brought sexy back” by then! Assuming of course that work has picked up. Knowing it would be my last class for a while made me really throw myself into it. I did my last free pole/dance to Moulin Rouge’s “Roxanne” – a song that a lot of us used “way back when” we were first learning. I pushed the chair up against the 2nd pole and the gal I was giving the “lap dance” to (whom I didn’t know – new in our class) said “Woah, I was actually a little scared there.” It was a faboo last class (for a while).

Wednesday was supposed to be a Spin workout, but I got home, did some chores, and went for a “nap” at 6:00p.m.  – waking up the next day at 9:00 a.m.! H didn’t wake me when he got home – he said I was “out like a light.” I am reading Younger Next Year for my 50th time (I LOVE that book) and I have to believe that my body was so busy making all the new connections and mitochondria and veins and muscle fiber and what-have-you in this Ironman Adventure that it couldn’t keep the lights on, too.

Jakie & Sandy playing Lance Armstrong in the garage

Thursday was supposed to be a Swim, but because I’m such a dog on the Bike, I decided to do the Spin workout instead. Yup, Jake and me in the garage again . . . I put on Podrunner.com and put in a BPM that I could keep cadence to, and worked out to that. It was supposed to be “progressive Valley Drills” but because I have no way to keep track of RPM and all that jazz, I decided I would work on keeping a steady cadence and going up and down my gears. Think I have mentioned Podrunner before – it’s free workout mixes at set beats per minute. It’s sort of “house music” which makes it easy to mindlessly pump away to.

Friday was 8 x 880s (or is it 800s? 2x around the track) and Strength. I procrastinated for a while, as it was cold and I was feeling very snug in the house with the fire H had made. However, when it was nearly too late, I got in the car. First I checked out the new dog park area at Red Hill – H had said that there was a track there – turns out that it’s actually a soccer field with the red clay/gravel/whatever surrounding it, but not a track per se. I went to Drake, and though they were having lacrosse AND soccer practice, the track only had a couple of young gals practicing sprint repeats (no Track Team or Coach). So I did that. I started out with a Podrunner 132 BPM mix, and though that felt like a good cadence and my heart rate was nice and in the aerobic zone, I was 2+ minutes (MINUTES – yes and this is just two times around the track) off my VDOT. So I cranked it up to a new mix, which was 162 BPM. I was still slow on my VDOT, but that felt like a good cadence. A number of other folks joined me on the track and lapped me shamelessly – some day I won’t be dragging this extra 35 pounds around and I will be able to have a spring in my step too!

Just a quick post – today did a 2350 yard swim, and a 4 mile (1 hour) run. A few of my IronTeam members are keeping track of their “mileage” – I didn’t think to start that, but I am going to try to remember to post the mileage when I sign in.

The Swim included a warmup, then stroke drills, then a pyramid set going between L5 (race pace) and L6 (a bit higher) then a warmdown. The first time I did L6 – similar to what happened on Sunday – I spazzed out. I’m remembering how much I hate the “green in front of the goggles” issue of Open Water Swimming, ruing the fact we will be doing our vacation in Sedona when the rest of the team will be doing the 1/2-Iron, afraid that I won’t be able to swim at Louisville in my wetsuit (so I will sink to the bottom and drown), blah blah blah. HOWEVER, I kept telling myself: “This goes away after about 1/2 hour” – and it did. I’m not sure what that’s about – it’s like my mind just gives up sending “spazz signals” if I wait it out. Then again, maybe it was because my MP3 was playing St. Jimmy from American Idiot, and I didn’t have room for spazzing (smile).

I remember my most serious “spazz” was the open water at the Chicago Tri…though the one at the Go Girl Tri was pretty good, too. (That one was different than the usual “green in front of the goggles” issue – I could actually SEE “gunk” on the bottom and was afraid my fingers would flow through the slime strands…iiiiick…)

I got out of the pool just shy of an hour, and instead of rushing through a Transition, I took my time and took a shower. I was careful to SERIOUSLY towel off so as not to have the “chicken wings/locked up” jogbra situation! I realized at that point that I had completely forgotten ANY fluids or snacks, so luckily I had my purse and went downstairs to get a couple of different snack bars (a Zonebar one and a Kashi one), a bottle of Gatorade, and a bottle of water.

I was going to go outside and Run, but it has turned fairly chilly, and H has a cold again – so I didn’t want to go out with my wet hair. As suggested by Kelownagurl’s podcast, I downloaded various tempos from Podrunner.com, and I did the 10 minute warmup, then used the 132 BPM for a 50 minute run. Our schedule said to have an “easy run” and that felt like a good pace to me. Kelownagurl pointed out that the Kenyan runners, etc. usually have a leg cadence/turnover somewhere around 95 – which would mean using music with a BPM of double that. I knew there was no way I could keep that up – but I wanted to give a try to having music that was a straight BPM (versus a playlist) to try the cadence thing. I enjoyed it – it was a great pace for me, though slower than my VDOT.

As with the Swim, somewhere around 15-20 minutes of the Run (after the Warmup) I got the “I am SO DONE WITH THIS” feeling. Then at about 1/2 hour, I was fine. In fact, at the end of the 50 minute Run, I could have kept running.

I had some work today (thank you GOD), have Pole Dancing tomorrow, and some other leads to follow up on (on which to follow up?) I said to someone the other day that the best part about TNT Training is that it’s a set thing I am required to do every day – and I do it, or I don’t,  so I succeed, or I don’t, period. It’s not like marketing, or cold calling, or researching, or all the other stuff I should of course be doing – it’s a set thing, I can do it, I can succeed, and feel good about it. Thank you TNT!

Please take a look at the below – it’s an invitation from “The View From The Bay” for January 26th.

If you can, please come and support me!

FROM ABC-TV:

I would like to extend a special invitation to Sandra J. Shepard’s friends, family and colleagues to be in our studio audience the day that she will be appearing  on “The View From The Bay” – Tuesday 26^th, 2010.

Meet Spencer Christian and Janelle Wang and get a chance to see the behind the scenes of a live television broadcast. Tickets for the show must be reserved in advance. Audience doors open at 2:15pm with a cut-off time of 2:30pm, the show is live from 3-4pm.

To reserve your seats please call the ticket request line at (415)-954-7733 or visit www.viewfromthebay.com and click on “be in our audience” and fill out a ticket request form. Or click on the link below to go to our online ticket request form. Simply fill out your information and press submit.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/feature?section=view_from_the_bay&id=6337461

Please be sure to note under “comments” that you are requesting a specific date to support Sandy on her scheduled show.

Please pass this email on to any friends, family or colleagues who may be interested in being in our studio audience.

*Please note that all seats must be reserved in advance. Tickets that have been requested will be sent via an email confirmation with detailed instruction on where and when to arrive at the ABC studio. Also note that audience members come in a separate entrance and time than guests appearing on the show.

Rachel Wyatt
Audience Coordinator
Rachel.Wyatt@abc.com

The View from the Bay

lifeguard at our swim

Sunday Morning and it was time for IronTeam Training! Met Iron Mel at the Larkspur Ferry at 6:30AM. Thank goodness I had blogged about the workout – I somehow had thought it was Saturday (which was the Bike Marker) – and Mentor Margaret saw my post and let me know that being at the Ferry Terminal a day early would do NOTHING for my weekend!

Loading the car was something – holy cow. We had our trainers and our bikes (just in case it rained) and all the bike “gear,” run stuff, swim stuff, “fuel” stuff…I don’t have it as together as Iron Mel, my stuff was in a slew of bags. She has a back pack that could hold a small town in it, and  fit nearly everything in. Not me! I also had the Spirit Cape, which went to its new “owner” (Coach Mike) at the workout.

getting ready to go on the swim

We got to San Ramon without incident, and were in the pool by 8 AM. Thank GOODNESS it was warm (unlike IVC, my last pool workout with the group). We did a warmup to get our blood flowing, followed by 3×75 (kick, catchup, free build from L3-L7) and 2×100 focusing (in my case) on “swimming downhill” – in other words, looking at the bottom of the pool, etc. This head position thing has always been my Achilles Heel (Achilles Head?) My shoulders hurt just from the focused work! I was swimming in a group with one guy in it, who said at one point “WOW you swim FAST!” It made me feel good because I know I’m not as fast and consistent as folks I have watched (Josh, Jen J, Brian K), and I beat myself up about it, as the only sport I’ve had any coaching in is the Swim.

They moved me over into a new group (they kept jockeying us around) and we had the main set: 2×50 L3, 2×100 L4, 3×150 L5, 2×100 L6, 2×50 L7 with 15 second rest in between. By the end of the L7s I felt sick but was able to catch my breath as I waited for Chris to finish his final 50.  Jen J was in the lane as well, but she was done WAY before we were done. I couldn’t figure out how she could have smoked us so bad. She’s a rockin’ swimmer that is for sure, but she would have had to have “eeled” her way past us like 6-7 times to be done like that. When we were counting back over our workout near the end, she said “it was THREE 150s I thought it was TWO??” – Ah-HA! (laugh) So THAT’S how she got so far “ahead”!

We did breathing drills next – four 25s. I was able to get down with 5 breaths the first time, 4 the time back, then 3, but no way I could do less than 3 though I tried on the last 25. After, we had some fun – sort of a “red rover” drill where 3 of us swam down the lane, and one from behind had to “break through” us. The first time was rough – I think it was Jim first, and he hadn’t done that sort of thing before. We talked after that first 25 about how to “do it” (e.g., sort of swim over someone’s arm, after you time their stroke “forward”). Everyone did it without incident then, and Jim did it again and was perfect. I wasn’t sure if I would have a black eye or chin where he had elbowed me backwards hard into the chin, then the goggles, on his first try – no mark this morning though (phew!)

Iron Mel and Me at our "transition area" (my van)

We did a cooldown (about 2,500 yards total), then it was time to get on the bikes. The men were taunting us girls about being so slow out of the locker room. If they could have only seen us. It was pretty hilarious – once you’re out of your swim suit, no matter how hard you try to dry off, getting a jog bra on and down your back is impossible. A bunch of us got “locked up” with the jogbra halfway down our backs and arms up, and were running around trying to “unlock” each other. I was trying to remember from my Olympic Tri days what we used to do – it was just swim, bike and run in the suit. With 112 miles on the bike, however, no WAY you want something like that cutting you underneath. Once I get rid of this Buddha Belly I guess I will move back into my two-piece suits from “back then” – and actually perhaps think about what Erin from Tri’N'Reality said – that she swims in her bike pants. Then again, she wore a wetsuit on her Ironman (Canada) to cover them, but I am pretty sure we aren’t going to be allowed in Louisville. It’s all a learning. Glad no one had a camera with all of us in our “arms up like chicken wings, clawing at our backs” position with the jogbras!!

The bike was about 18-20 miles. I stayed in back as that’s where I have belonged in all our Coaching Rides, but was able to move up some as we went. I felt good, though I had had a twinge about 1/2 way through the swim on my calf. It didn’t feel bad, just a little tight, so I practiced stretching it as I pedaled. The ride had one street with no bike lane, a steep step-off to the right, and heavy traffic which was nerve-wracking, then rolling hills and barns and cows and bulls and miniature horses. I had Head Coach Dave behind me on part of the ride which was great. It was like having my own tour guide. He lives there and had set up the ride. He also gave me some great tips to practice and though I didn’t get it at first, once I was back on my own I figured out what he was saying and it was SUPER helpful. The scenery was so gorgeous – I have never been out that way before. One part of the ride was super windy and it got a bit cold, but we got over it. I practiced getting “fuel” out of the back pocket of my bike shirt, as well as of course using the Camelbak. I had “promised myself” I would make the Camelbak empty by the time I finished, and I didn’t quite make that goal. I need to pay more attention. I was quite pleased though I actually (on the go) got some GU out of the bike shirt back pocket and did the “open with your teeth, squeeze, tuck the wrapper up your bike pants’ elastic” move without falling off the bike. Small victories. It was actually fun on the bike, and I felt like I was going pretty strong. At one point Brian K and Jim passed and we had a little interaction and it was fun and funny. I remember when we did our very first ride around Paradise, and these 2 guys had ridden over from San Francisco to do the bike and then were riding back . . . they were like Lance Armstrong to me and I was very cowed and a little depressed that I would never be like that. On that first ride, I was about an hour behind the group. Granted, on this ride I was still finishing in the last part of the pack, but I was able to tease with the ‘big boys’ as they passed me and they teased back which made me feel super good and included.

me'n'my badonkadonk on the bike

On the way down at the end of the bike route I saw Mentor Margaret and Iron Mel running up the same hill – Iron Mel had my keys because I knew she would finish first. She held up the keys as if to throw them to me – which panicked me a bit – then shouted “I think it’s open!” I was sure hoping so, since I didn’t have the wherewithal to stop (much less “catch”)! Got back and stripped off the Camelbak and put on my fancy ’80s Chicago Tri Tshirt – no need to change shoes of course (ha) – and then we were off for the 2.5 mile run. I was definitely tired by that time, and did a Galloway 5 minute run, 2 minute walk. I took a full bike bottle of fuel/fluids and told myself it had to be gone by the end of the run – which it was. I’m not sure how long it took me – it was supposed to be 1/2 hour, but I imagine I was closer to 40-45 minutes. I know I was one of the last ones in. I felt fine, just a little “zen” (didn’t really want to think or talk). I’m glad that I didn’t catch up to a group or one didn’t catch up to me, so I could just be “zen brain” and do the 5/2 and breathe. I was a little concerned when I got on the last straight-away before the turn back, as there weren’t as many “arrows” as there could have been, and I had left my cell phone on the bike! But it all turned out OK when I saw the final “RUN THIS WAY” arrow. It was a gorgeous day to be out and about.

crazy corework

After the run, it was time for Core. We did situps of all different flavors, then some crazy stuff like plank with a partner and playing “slap hands” as you stayed in position. We used the “strap contraption” that Coach Doug represents to do some stretching, and that’s when I felt that something was a bit wrong with my calf. It tightened up on the drive home, and once I was home, I couldn’t put my heel down. I did what we “know to do” – strapped ice on it, and elevated it. I got home and ate everything in sight, then watched old Criminal Minds reruns and some Kona Ironman tapes, finally hauling myself upstairs to a shower and into bed way early. Not sure that H is excited that I wind up cutting Zzzzzs at like 7:30 and not making dinner!

All in all, it was a good day, and a good week. I feel stronger, though I see the photos of myself and am so frustrated with how I look that I could just scream. (Said by the woman with a big chocolate chip cookie in her hand as she types.) Of course, I know that’s silly, especially as the framed photos I have of myself doing tris, etc. are TWENTY YEARS old (for Chrissakes). I just have to keep on keepin’ on. In 3 weeks we have a simulated Olympic Distance tri – when H and Mom and Dad will be at the theatre, so I can’t ask for them to volunteer. (I am of course supposed to be at the theatre, too – hmmmmm, do the tri then jet for Berkeley Rep? Maybe not!) Unfortunately I also just found out that our 1/2-Iron distance race (“Wildflower”) is when H and I are in Sedona. I am SERIOUSLY bummed out by this. I’m going to have to figure out if H will “sag wagon” me in a 1/2-Iron distance somehow. The problem will be the swim, since he can’t swim. I suppose I could do something around the Tiburon Lagoon, since that’s only 4 feet deep in the deepest spots, then the bike/run out from that area. (10 times around Paradise? (laugh)). Well, we’ll just have to see how that goes, come March.

All in all a good week with two marker sets in which I increased my pace, a simulated tri yesterday, then a REST day today. The best news – I woke up and the “hurt” calf is no more sore than the rest of me – so I think the “rest and elevation” worked. Yippee!!!

“Happiness is nothing more than Health and a Poor Memory.”

I haven’t blogged in a while, so I think I will start with today and go backwards/ through my Tweetlog:

Today we had a Bike Marker set. We did it on the same course as last time – though this time, we marked out the 5 miles correctly! (That time, we only timed for 3 miles by accident.) If you look back on that Marker Set blogpost, I was “out of the money” – I would have been pulled (“chipped”) had I done the race at that speed. The “math” goes like this: 112 miles in the race. It must be done in 480 minutes (8 hours) or less. Today, I did my 5 miles in 21 minutes, 4 seconds. So, 5 miles in 21 minutes equals 112 miles in…what? Now, I’m not a math whiz, B-U-T, I think that means I would do the bike in 470.4 minutes – which means I WOULD NOT BE CHIPPED ANY MORE! I could be totally wrong – but I THINK I am right! WA-HOOOO!

So what else has gone on since my last post? I’ve been Tweeting – just not able to get to the computer to blog. More from my Tweetlog….

This morning (moving backwards in the log) my Tweet was: “Bike, check! Helmet/gloves/heart rate monitor/water, check! Oatmeal – ack! (gently brake)…take off roof of car…check! Off to do the bike marker!”

What else is in my Tweet log?  Ah – here is the post where H and I rode the last big bike ride – 45 miles. We got to mile 41 – and I got a  flat on my front tire. Since I have to be able to change them myself, I changed the tire…H had to pump it up (we had a regular pump, not a CO2 cartridge) – I remounted and BLAM – it was flat again! H gave me his bike to ride to the van and he walked my bike (after all, ~I~ am the one that “had to complete” the 45 miles). By the time we got home, my bike had 2 flats and his had one! When I changed the tubes at home, each of mine had THREE punctures – too many to patch. We were trying to figure out what the HECK we ran over…

Here’s another great Tweet – I was lucky to be able to do a “buddy run” with my mentor Margaret and HER former mentor (and our swim coach) Sedonia. We ran at my pace, and they were so great to run with. Last “buddy run” I did my buddy felt she was running super slowly – and it was still smoking me and I felt like crap. Margaret and Sedonia were fantastic. We did a Galloway walk/run – I am currently doing 5 minutes run 2 minute walk – and wound up going 1:21 minutes, 12:49 pace, 6.35 miles. After the run I came home, and my tweet says:

“Such a Princess! Got home from run, H gave me a coffee –
I’m out of my run clothes, into bed (with flannel sheets) with the cup!
He says I need an IronTiara!”

What else is in my Tweetlog? Ah – H kidnapped me (WHAT A GOOD HUSBAND) to the Sonoma Mission Inn for 3 days earlier this week. We got to put a “check mark” on our “eat our way around all the Michelin Starred Restaurants in Northern California” list! (At Sante.) I have a Tweet from the Sonoma Mission Inn spa gym, where I did the scheduled trainer bike “Valley Set”:

“What, spa gym guests? Never seen a puddle of sweat under a bike before?
OH, you’ve never seen SWEAT before!
You do dirty looks WELL through that Botox!”

This week was a “marker week” (bike and swim) – the Swim Marker was 1,000 yards. I got into the pool and it was very crowded (for our pool). I made sure that I wasn’t going to get kicked out by a Masters Group or anything, warmed up, and started my set. At 4 lengths from the end of my Marker, I was horrified to see that they were trying to get me out of the pool. I just held up my hand, gasped FOUR MORE and took off! I must have been a bit hypoxic, because I had visions that someone would grab my wrist or my leg. When I finished my 100 (DEFINITELY at a pace a bit higher than the L5 we were supposed to use), I stopped my watch and looked up. I found 5 staff and the couple dozen swimmers all on deck, watching me! Alligators? Piranha? More likely (ick) poop or vomit…Not Gator Nor Poop Nor Dark of Night (dot dot dot)…Yeah it’s the IronMan and the Postal Service…

Here is the swim marker email from Sedonia:

Holy Smoley!!

Who are you?  And what have you done with our Sandy???

Great work!!

I added your newest marker set results into my handy dandy spreadsheet and here is the breakdown our your stats past and present:

*It is important to remember that pool predicted times are typically faster than open water times

Not only did you go 200 yds farther than last time…but you shaved 12 seconds off your 100 yard pace and and a whopping 9 minutes off your predicted 2.4 mi time!!  This is HUGE Sandy!  I’m so impressed…and there is nobody to credit but you, your hard work and your determination!  You are such a stud! Even if your last 100 was a smidge over a L5 pace :)

Not only are you gaining endurance, but you are clearly becoming much more efficient in the water and your overall fitness has improved 10 fold!  Great job! Please let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything I can do to help you become a better athlete!

I will leave you with my favorite Tweet in my log over the week. It had to do with a soak after a run. I had received my FAVORITE prezzie – bubble bath! – from my grrl Leann and I just couldn’t wait to have a nice soak. I got in the tub, and realized that I had forgotten a big glass of water. Not wanting to get out of the soak, I called for H, to see if he could bring me one. This was the Tweet related to that (and YES I had my Blackberry in the bath, bad grrl):

In cucumber bubblebath now-Mm! Asked H 2 bring me some H2O
he showed up w/my Camelbak:
“Ur hydration system, madam?” 2 freakin funny.