The Countdown Continues.

ADJUSTMENTS
MIA again. At least I am consistent with my inconsistency. That must count for something.

I am now 2 months outside of Welland. I have altered my race schedule to accommodate the past 2 months of work travel, and therefore the lack of training time.

4/10 - Martian 10k
4/11 GREYHOUNDS Time Trial on Hines Drive (road bike)
5/1 - Willow Duathlon
5/2 - MGST 62 mile ride
5/31 - TOPs Tour 75 mile ride
6/6 - Dexter to Ann Arbor Half Marathon
6/13 - Motor City Olympic Tri
6/27 - Welland Half Ironman

I have a solid training plan thanks to my partner in crime, Carol. I pretty much just took the trinewbies 18 weeks plan she is following, started it at week 8 as that is where we are right now, and incorporated my known workouts/events:

• Monday night Bike/Run Hines Drive Bricks (Starting up 4/12 at 6PM at Newburgh Point - come on out!)
  
• Thursday night OWS/Bike ILRA workouts
• Saturday AM FAST Swims
• Misc. RACING GREYHOUNDS team events
  
• Biking Tours (for long rides)
  

With the need to get to the Dexter Ann Arbor (DX2AA) Half Marathon by June 6th I increased the running distances (although in all fairness, not by much). When I took the step back and looked it over - it looks good. No. It looks really good.

Yesterday started back on track with the Martian Meteor 10kas my long training run. I had not realized this, but the last time that I ran a 10k race was 4 years ago. I wonder why I have ignored the 10k for so long? That race, the last one I ran before yesterday? That was my PR at 1:10:xx. I ran the Martian race at RPE 2-3 (an easy low HR run) and finished in my 2nd fastest time ever in 1:14:xx. I stopped to take off some clothing and walked through the water stations in addition to just sort of jogging along and I ran my 2nd fastest 10k ever.

My fitness is not so bad. When I first started running (and was running alot more frequently than today) I was always aiming for a 1:15 but rarely attained it. Plus, I weigh at least 20 lbs more now than I did at my PR race in '06.

This was the confidence boost that I needed. My base building adventures have really helped carry me through the tough times this year. I had so much left in the tank at the end of the 10k that I felt confident that I could have ran the half marathon. I am right where I need to be fitness wise in my training.


So no more looking back at what I have missed, only looking forward at what is to come.

Today is the team Time Trial. This is my first bike only race (me vs. the clock) and I know that if I had not joined the GREYHOUNDS this year, I would not have ever done a bike only road race. My goal for 2010 is to work on my bike speed and skills and to try more new things to keep it lively in the health 'hood.


LESSONS FROM THE ROAD
I must stop here and make mention that I have grown so much mentally in this sport. That is where most of us forget to train. We get the swims, bikes, and runs done. We practice nutrition and clothing, and choreograph race day from setting up our transitions to marking every step we will take from the gun to the finish line. It is a routine we follow and attempt to follow it as flawlessly as possible.

Do we ever really think about the mental places we will be taken to during the race?

My failures (even if only failures to me) have always been due to my head. I maybe have the physical capacity to do something, but I cannot wrap my head around it and I start that negative self-talk and boom - downhill we go.

Lessons learned from all of my time on the road is that I need to be prepared and force myself to push through in these darker times. we all need to really. So, with that I have added to my training this year the mental aspects.

For instance, this past Monday I had a 45 minute run planned. I was feeling really good about it all day since I had some decent runs in Shanghai, and 45 minutes is a pretty short run comparatively. I head out along my favorite spot to run after work and right away my legs are not happy.

I realize that my nutrition that day, while really healthy, was sparse and I had not consumed the calories I had needed to prior to the run. Oh well, what can you do but to push through or quit? I pushed through,

Mile 1 comes (slowly) and I am thinking that I feel absolutely horrible. "Let's walk this baby back in and go home" I tell myself. I keep on going. "No," I respond to my inner dark voice, "the schedule is calling for 45 minutes and if this were the last 45 minutes of my race would I quit? No, I would make it to the end, somehow. Anyway possible I must finish." And that was all it took.

Once I realized that come hell or high water I will finish, a weight was lifted and I felt no pitty for myself. So what if my body wasn't performing to the level I know it is capable of.

"NOW is not the time to worry about the 'should be', NOW is the time to think about the 'is', and what is happening is that I need to walk and that is OK as I am making that forward progress." These are the words I had to keep repeating to myself to remind myself to now sweat the here and now, but to work in the here and now.

I started walking and then at the 2.5 mile mark it happened. Complete wardrobe failure. I made some modifications and walked/jogged it in to finish at 45 minutes just as planned.

Of course at any time I could have stopped, however at that point the bigger part of that training session was not the run. Clearly the run disappeared at mile 1/2. At that point what I was training myself to do was to see light in adversity. To design a plan on the fly when I need to get out of a sticky situation and finish.

I consider that a success. Now I know that I can still finish even when things get tough. Let's get the crap out of the way now so I will not be surprised if the crap happens at Welland.

Have a great week!

Another lesson learned out on the run.

I completed my 7 miles today at Kennsington Metropark. I started around 1:30PM or so. It took a long 1.5 hours to do, but I am done!

Man so many hills! But I am taking it slow to just keep contant pace going. I feel good, and at the end I was all glowy with sweat and the nice sheen of salt. HAWTNESS.

I actually feel beautiful after a nice run.

During today's run I listened to the Get Your Geek On podcast from early 2006 for newbies. It really made me feel good. This podcast made me feel like it was produced just for me. It answered a lot of the questions that have been swimming around in my head lately. It is SO easy to get caught up in the competition and the gear and the technology available out there. But my philosophy for the 2008 Tri season - KISS. Keep it simple... sheesh. ;) I don't like negative talk like "stupid" in my philosophies. ;)

So that is what I am doing. Heck if I have to breast stroke my way to the finish of the swim - I will do it. I need to get out of the mindset about the biggest and the best, and realize (like I have) that this is about activity and heaalthy lifestyle choices... this is not about a medal or label. This is all about the journey.

This is a short one today - I have a lot to do before Mike gets home from work. I hope that you all have had wonderful weekend so far! I really enjoyed mine!

I will leave you all with the lesson that I am learning through this new adventure of mine. Those slow seven miles were wonderful to me. I am not the biggest, baddest, quickest, or best...est out there. I am however the best me there is. And I am actually quite happy with that.

~})i({~

Keep on running!

Done!

Just got done with my 6 miles for the day!

Here is today's tally:
Miles ran (slow): 6.01
Avg pace: 13:30/mi.
Best pace hit: 9:30/mi (up hill mind you!)
Calories burned: 987
Cyclists seen: 20,
Runners seen: 4,
Bugs that flew into my eye: 1. (ouch)
Rest time for said bug incident: 00:01:10
Total Running Time (including bug in eye and hydration stoppage/walkage): 1:21:13

And here is my recap. ;)
Todays point was to take it easy and slow, enjoy the run, and get out in nature. I accomplished those three things.

Mile 1- 11:20
I really pushed up all the hills and ran pretty slow down them. Once I saw the time I new I had to slow down. I wanted to try to tay at an even pace, but hortly there after I started to heat up and could not cool down. However, the pace felt really nice. I want to run an 11:20 all the time! It feels wonderfully freeing!! So I guess I better start working towards that, eh?

Mile 2 - 12:17
I slowed it down a bit on this mile, and actually took a hydration walk break at around 1.5 miles. My strategy in the race is going to be to run all the way through, but walk at hydration stops. So that is what I am doing today. I always get queezy when I try to run and drink.

Mile 3 - 13:58
Wow. I knew that mile was slow as that is when I hit a patch of cloudless, shadeless, breezeless hills. The hills at KMP are very manageable, so they were not the issue this time, this time it was pure core-body overheating. I felt like I was swimming in sweat and could not cool down. I pulled out my waterbottle filled with accelerade, and chugged for a while. When I was hydrated and cooled, I ran again. Wrapping up the mile in just under 14 minutes.

Mile 4 - 14:16
So much for trying to keep a contant pace! Again, heated up - walked through hydration. However this time, I stopped to help a mother who's child had a bike accident and wrecked his bike. OUCH! poor kiddlet. And poor bike! The mother ended up having to ride her bike back with his bike lying over her frame. Difficult on those paths. Thank goodness it wa a kid's bike and not full sized!

Mile 5 - 14:03
Walked through hydration breaks, slowed down on the up hills this time. Took my time enjoying the breeze off of the lake... niiiiiiice. I love KMP. I adore Kent Lake. :)

Mile 6 - 14:35
Again, walked through hydration break, this time walked up the long slopping hill back to start. Bug flew into my eye... hocked the heck out of me. Darn bugs. Thi leg, thoguh, is where I pulled the 9:3o/min pace out at the end. Uphill. Strong finish!

Total time : 1:21 and change.

I left a lot out there, which is a little nerve wracking given the time (48 days to CDC!!), however today was not a go all out run - it was a slow and steady run.

I have settled on some things because of this run today. (Yeah!!!)

1. Accelerde is THE hydration option for me, but I need to carry two waterbottles now - 1 with Accelerade, and 1 with good old H2o. I started to get a headache at mile 4, and then it stayed with me until the end. I wa dying for some clear water, no flavor, but the Accelerade kept me strong and filled, just still a little thirsty. Maybe I should dilute it a little. I will try that Tuesday on my 4 miler.
2. I need to run in my Waverider 9's with socks that have extra coushining in them. When I wear lighter socks I have arch pain. This is the first run without any sort of leg pain Quad, hammy, shin, or arch/foot!!!! I found a winner combination! About time!
3. I need to run in a sports bra only. I wore a bra and a singlet out there but still heated right up. Ugh.
4. I need longer shorts. My thighs be rubbin' together, and even with my Addidas running lycra's on, OUCH. I had to stop no less than 4 times to adjust the legs so I wouldn't chaffe. And you know what? I still chaffed! *pout*

One thing I did confirm is that I definitely have a core temperature issue - which is odd given that it was 80* outside. I mean come on... perfect running weather! I did rock it when there was shade or a breeze - but when the sun was beating right down on me, I had some issues with heat management.

I need to find the right clothing options for me to get the best results. Thsi week I want to try some of my run in the AM on the rail-to-trail system I walk at lunch. The time and temps will be more reflective of CDC, as well as the fact that the ground is flat. I wonder hwo that will go! ;)

Well enough recapping of a training run, lol. Go off and read some race reports... that is where all teh good stuff is!

I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend out there. I am so ahppy that Summer is finally here!

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