For E

The Iditarod starts next week, but before you saddle up your puppies you may want to check out the Iditarod Trail Invitational, the running/skiing/biking/hiking version of the race happening this week. You get to choose one of the formentioned modes of transportation to complete the 350 mile or 1000+ mile trail.

www.alaskaultrasport.com

I was up for it until I learned you had to bandage up your nose so you don't lose it :( crazy!

My new favorite dessert

This is my new favorite dessert: Betty Crocker's Warm Delights Minis. I won't lie to you and say they're healthy, but if you're like me, they're the perfect dessert. I love cake and only the real thing will satisfy me. I'd rather have a couple bites of soft, fluffy, refined sugars and carbs than a pound of a healthier cake made with substitutes. But instead of buying/baking an entire cake and having 12 servings stare me down, I can make one of these. They're portion-controlled, only 150 calories, and cook in 30 seconds. So delicious!

Funny Video

I got this off of Kristen Armstrong's Site. It is just too funny not to share.

It's titled "The Day After the Marathon."

Bag of My Dreams

I am a bag lady and am always searching for 'that' bag and love, love, love my new bag (I think it's the one!), the Sherpani Extra Large Messenger Bag. It was voted number 1 by Health mag. I was showing it off to hubby and he commented that it would make a great diaper bag, guess what... they actually make them in diaper bags, and he is right they would for all you mommies out there. The best deal, last years colors are 40-60% off right now (including the diaper bag model) and S&H is very cheap!

It is a company out of Boulder, CO and the quality is excellent. Also if hiking any mountains are in your future or you are just in the market for a baby backpack/carrier, we use the Sherpani Rumba Superlight (it is less than 4lbs) and is very comfortable for 8-10 hour hikes. They also carry other types of backpack, purses, etc. Ckeck them out at:

www.sherpani.us

Reflections

Yesterday was the last race in the distance series. We did a 20K, 25K, and finally the 30K. All of the races were held on Fort Story with a course of rolling hills. Yesterday, we got the added pleasure of 17mph winds. My favorite! I didn't run as fast as the first race, or as conservative as the second. I think I found what I will most likely run for the marathon. I was strong and consistent for the full 18.6 miles. I walked quickly through the water stops. My finish time was 2:27:28, averaging a 7:54 pace. Pretty good considering hills and wind. It was a confidence builder because on our Saturday long runs, we stop every 5 miles or so to drink and stretch, and we stop our watches. I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to hold pace for that long without the breaks.

Here's the thing that I am struggling with now: I would love to do a 3:30, or to be honest, a 3:29:59 to break a 3:30. According to the race calculators, based on my previous races, that should be a very reasonable goal. I think it will be close, and could very easily be a 3:35. A 3:30 looks like an 8 minutes pace, but it really isn't. No one runs the entire time, unless your Kenyan. Most people have to walk through the water stops and take time to Gu. That means that I need to hold about a 7:50 to give me that break time. I know 5 minutes doesn't look like any big deal, but I would have shit talking rights for a long time to be able to say that I broke 3:30 (and at 42, no less).

I have trained so hard, but my year of training hard is coming to an end quickly. We move in only 4 months and go back to a life that will make it difficult if not impossible to train like this. I hope to always have a race to train for; but I most likely will not be able to train for the speed like now. This is certainly not my last marathon; however, I am getting older. I certainly don't feel old, and I run faster than a lot of guys out there. However, after this next tour, I will enter the next age group. I do not know of 45 year olds that are making PRs. The goal is to run forever and at some point you have to know that you are going to get slower. I already need more recovery time and I am a high risk for injury. I really think that will be OK for me as long as I know that I took advantage of this opportunity and I did the best I could. And damnit, I want it to be 3:29.

I know there are things you can control and things you can't. I have done the training, but I can't control the weather. I could do everything right and wake up sick or to a morning of driving rain and wind. At some point I have to give it up and realize it will be what it will be.

Wow, to read back over this it sounds pretty down. I'm not, I actually feel pretty strong, just reflective.

By the way, I placed 4th Woman Overall and first Master's Woman in the distance series combined results.

OMG!

Warning: reader discretion is advised… seriously.

Today… I became an athlete… while enduring perhaps one of the single most embarrassing moments of my life.

Fridays are my second leg day of the week, I recently rewrote it to reduce recovery time and allow more cardio on Fridays. Last Friday after the leg weight routine I proceeded to the jumps as normal, but since the weights got cut in half I ended up with a side ache even before the run… So today after the weights portion I did my Stepmill program first then came back to the jumps.

First jump, no problems, second jump (a fairly new jump for me) I was almost finished with the first set when I felt a weird strange sensation in my lower abs, it didn’t hurt so I kept going. ‘OOPS’, it became very clear the second I finished that the strange sensation was AIR building up in my vagina because as soon as I stopped I let out the loudest quef fart ever heard to mankind (pardon my spelling –it’s not in the dictionary). It was so loud that I could have sworn I felt the floor vibrate and I heard it through my blaring earphones. Everyone –and by everyone -I mean all the men in the entire area stopped what they were doing and starred at me in disbelief.

I did the only thing I could think of and acted like it never happened. I took my 30 seconds rest and proceeded onto my second set only this time it happened again right away (only not as loud –but loud enough that they all looked again), a few more reps and it happened again. ‘OMG!’

It was at this precise moment that I became an athlete. The thought of not finishing my sets and jumps bothered me much more than queffing out loud. So I finished, queffing it up the entire time. A decision I may regret on Monday morning when I have to face all those men again (I see them everyday and usually talk to them). And forever more I will be the lady with gas (I assume that’s what they all thought it was). Thankfully, the remaining jumps did not result in this problem. The only thing I can think of is that the Stepmill loosened things up down there? Next time I see Dr Oz I will be sure to ask.

I have a whole new insight to those athletes that finish races after they crap all over themselves. I am pretty sure I could and would finish, after all once it’s done there’s no turning back.

Anyway, I would like to give full credit to my daughter, because prior to childbirth I never knew I could quef at the gym and if you are wondering what I will be doing this weekend… Kegels, the only thing I can think of that might help.

"Oh Crap" Moments....

I started to type a response to Rachel's post but realized it was going to be WAAAAAAY too long. So, I'm posting.



Rachel! You're doing a tri!!!! I didn't know!!! How did I miss that. Anyway, listen. We sound a lot alike. There are many times I've thought "hey, I think I'll move to New York" or "hey, I don't think I like this job path anymore" or "hey, i'm going to do a triathlon" and then, after I've made that massive decision - and I'm on the new path - i think - holy crap.... how am i going to do this!!!



When I decided to sign up for the NYC tri, I didn't know how to swim, I didn't (still don't) have a bike and I have a tremendous fear of swimming in open water. I don't know how to switch gears on a bike. Rachel - I don't know a lot! But, it makes it even more fun to attempt, doesn't it?



The week after I signed up for the triathlon, I made the mistake of watching the Ironman on tv for motivation. All the blood left my face as I watched - with horror - the swim start. People swimming over other people. Black eyes, broken clavicles. I was really really afraid. And, then that guy I met who's done a couple Ironmans said that, for your first race, you really should stay at the back of your wave and on an edge. He also said the really competitive racers (who will swim over you and kick the crap out of you for a better time) - they are on the edge with the fastest current - so, for my race, the swim is in the Hudson River - the serious racers will be at the front on the right side - furthest from the shore.



I absolutely love the website for the NYC triathlon. It's typical New York-speak - decidedly not a coddling site at all (ie in the FAQ section - someone asked how they get from the bike to the run - which is about a mile away - the response? "jog it. remember? you're supposed to be an athlete?" i love it). They have a tremendous training program. Maybe you can pick and choose some stuff from it. I'm about half way through the base training program. In april, it picks up for the Spring training. The website says that you "can go from fritos to finisher" in four months. You've got three and you are already way fit. You are fine.



I feel like the most important thing is getting good gear (which I'm going to do in april). They say "chafe" is a triathlete's biggest issue. Between wetsuits etc etc. I'm going to eventually get a refurbished bike from this awesome shop called SBR (swim bike run). It's an amazing shop in NYC. I'm going to post their link for you in a second.



There are a lot of moments when I think - holy crap, who do you think you are!! But, then I'm kinda excited to respond, I'm a lady who carries who swim suit in her purse, in case I can squeeze in a practice before drinks tonight.... I like that.



So, tell me what race you are doing? What's the length? The NYC tri is olympic length. So, 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike ride and 6 mile run. I think the most important thing for me with the training so far is the "brick" workouts. My legs were like "you have got to be kidding me, lady" the first time I went immediately from a bike ride to a run. And, initially, it was only 30 min bike rides and 10 min runs. Now, they are 55 min bike rides and 35 min runs. And, it will go up.



Ok. So, I'm babbling. I'm excited!!! We are going to do this! Tell me when your race is! And, where! Ok. the websites:http://www.nyctri.com/site3.aspx and http://www.nyctri.com/site3.aspx

Oh Crap!

Yesterday I had an huge, oh crap, momment. I thought I would search Amazon for DVDs on past Ironmans; something to watch while I am doing my endurance ride for the week to get me motivate for the Tri I signed up for (not an Ironman). Then popped up all their suggestions for me, all these books and DVDs on how to finish a Triathlon, then... Oh crap, is there something I am supposed to know before I do this?

My plan was to show up... finish... yeah for me!

I am in good enough shape to finish one that isn't a problem, however I was hoping to compete rather than participate, which according to the 'search this book' s that I read is unrealistic. So I am 12 weeks out... I have a swimming tutor, who started me this week from stratch (apparrently I wasn't swimming effectively) ;) and I haven't ran distance in 7 years (I have no cartilage in my left knee)... I do know how to bike, but we are having a blizzard right now so the spinner it is.

New plan, educate myself, show up.... finish, use it as a learning experience and compete later this summer or have it as a stepping stone on my way to Kona.

Oh, one more thing, I read several 'training' plans for TRIs, none of them appealed to me they were either too easy to too detailed. I like being my own master planner, so I wrote my own. Do you guys follow written plans when training or do your own. I guess I learned from my dad and he always did his own thing. ???

Who the Hell is Morton?

I need to catch up since there seems to be lots of things I have been thinking and not writing.

Last Saturday I did my long run with my group. We did 23 miles. You know, the first time we did 18, I was fine. Then, we did 20 and I suffered the last 2 miles. The next time we did 20, I was fine. This week I suffered the last 3 miles, so I am hoping that when we do it again I will be strong to the finish again. I have several issues with one foot that I will go into in a minute, and that caused me lots of grief. I still managed a 7:57 pace overall, so no one is going to feel sorry for me. I was pretty sore and really tired the rest of the day, but I felt fine on Sunday. It took me 3:03 to run it, so I am hoping that a 3:30 marathon is a reasonable goal.

This week has not been my most successful as far as gaining miles. The burn out is high and the miles are long and boring. The nieghborhoods on my run are all about a one mile loop. I need a new view. That said, you learn a lot about your neighbors when you run past their house everyday. I think I will fall about 4 miles short this week with a total of 37. It is supposed to be a step down week of sorts anyway.

I have my last race in the distance series this Saturday. It is 18 miles. I am hoping for a smooth, consistent 8 minute pace with a strong finish. If I really play it right, I will do the first 6 at 8 minutes, if I feel good I can take the next 6 at 7:55-7:50 and drop it again for the last 6 if all is well. That would be a huge confidence builder.

I did better with yoga this week. Familiarity with the poses helps a lot. I still don't "like" it yet, but I think I will in time. No matter, it is good for me and so I will do it.

My right foot has an interesting injury. It is called a Morton's Neuroma. Essentially, The nerve on the bottom of my foot between toe number 3 and 4 is swollen and inflamed. You know how it feels when there is a rock in your shoe? Well, I feels like there is a rock in my foot. After so many miles, it hurts like hell! Then, I start to compensate and next my arch is on fire and my big toe feels like it is bruising. When I finished the 23 miles, I actually teared up it hurt so bad. The diagnosis is not good. It will get worse until there is nerve damage and then it will require surgery to remove it. Sounds like fun! Unfortunately, it was easy to find other vistims amoungst my running group. No one had anything positive to offer. I should be able to get through this marathon and hopefully nurse it until I can move.

Yoga

I had my first yoga session today! It went really well. I am just as inflexible as I thought, but I am also quite strong. She helped me with the breathing and put me through several stretches and then several poses. Just as I was feeling like I flunked yoga, she pulled out the strength test. I rocked. So, I may not be able to touch my toes, but I can do a this trick, oh excuse me...pose.