Oceanside Half Ironman

Here I am at the airport.. waiting for a fun filled weekend on the West coast. In just about an hour, I will be headed for Phoenix to begin the adventure. I am racing the same Half Ironman that I did as my first EVER again this weekend. On Thursday morning, my Bff, Green, and myself will drive over to Oceanside, CA and start the race check in, etc. We race Saturday morning. My bib # 2010. It's a swim in the ocean that is mostly protected by the sea wall. And then off on the bike through Camp Pendelton. The Marines alone are a good reason to do this race! And we finish with a run on the boardwalk by the ocean. I loved it last year and hope to have the same good experience this year. Although, this year will be different.... This is not my A race. This is just a chance to see what I got in my arsenal 5 months out of the BIG dance. AND.. I'm here to tell you, I expect big things. I might have blogged about this before, but there is a saying at the gym. Train hard... and if you hold that training until the BIG DANCE, you will see BIG dreams come true. Chris told me that a long time ago... and I want to make that happen.

Today... I am waiting to get on my flight and obsessing over my bike. Yes, my precious means a lot to me. She and I have done many great things together. She helps me climb hills FAST, and she makes the miles zoom by. My bike and I have a love affair that is comparable to loving a pet. I don't like to make her wait to get new toys, I clean her and take her to bike shops for every little tweek, and I keep her out of harms way ALL the time. Except today, today I had to leave her in a bike box with the Hodulum TSA guys. AND... now I am completely stressed about my precious making it to Phoenix all in one piece, ready to rock and roll! I am sure this is probably unfounded, as its not the first time the TSA has seen a bike in a bike box. But you see Precious is different. I don't know how I would ever replace Precious. Which makes her one of a kind. So... let's all say a little prayer... that Precious has a smooth uneventful ride to Phoenix.

I'll check in after the race,
Jen

Jen Hungry

A new motto for Ironman for me. My BFF gets credit for this one. I am going to get Jen Hungry. Yes.. you heard that right.. Jen Hungry. I am going to see what I can do every day to make me a stronger, more intelligent, efficient Ironman. My days have been filled with debauchery lately and its interrupting my Ironman goal. SO.... New motto/New focus! I am going to browse the bookstore tomorrow for some educational literature on Ironman, and I'm going to find some speakers to go and see. This year is about me and my Ironman ride! The journey afterall is suppose to be the best part!!

Today.. I learned how to put a bike in a bike box. A simple task you say? Well.. that depends on your level of experience. This box is about the size of an oversized suitcase. It come complete with foam padding for protection and lots of straps... thankfully.. wheels too! My friend, Ludster showed me how this is done properly. I'm excited to show him I'm a good student when I get to Arizona to put together my bike.. AND the following week when I return back to Chicago. Happy Flying to my sweet bike! I hope those darn RAMPERS are nice to her. She and I have some work to do out in California. I can't have her in rehab!

Recovery Week..I made it!

I have arrived... at recovery week and taper week for Oceanside. I leave a week from tomorrow for Phoenix, AZ and then the drive for California. I'm really looking forward to see what I can do out in Oceanside again this year. ALTHOUGH, I'm a little bit nervous about the run.

My legs are healing. I ran on the elliptical on Wednesday and went for a short 15 minute run on Saturday. I am still stretching and icing every day. I went for some extra massage work at the end of this week too. THEN yesterday I went and rode 49 miles on hills in the wind and felt amazing! I do love being out on the road! It is why I love being a triathlete. There is nothing like an open road. Like Tony said yesterday... I could ride this bike forever and never get off. It was such a great day. AND... I have to tell you that we did get lost. That is how we made it to 49 miles, since our ride options were actually 16 and 20. Leave it to me, Magellan to make that happen. The views in Wauconda are diversified and beautiful. We even heard the frogs mating in the marshes.

I am looking forward to rest week and I am hopeful my legs will heal enough to put down 13 miles after my 56 miles biking in about two weeks. I did have to walk/run the Half Marathon last year at Oceanside due to a gash in my toe. If I have to do it again, I will. But I would much rather feel like I can kick it out the whole time.

What a great weekend,
JennyLou

Running Shoes....

I asked my coach about Newton's last week. I wanted to know their thoughts and I have a friend that was forced to give them up. I got a recommendation to go Running Away Sports. So yesterday I went there and was helped by one of their sales people. I told them I was giving up Newtons and needed a new shoe. Let me say they were baffled. SO.. they put me in a Saucony Hurricane.. a stablization shoe. I ran this morning and before Mile 1, I started with a pain on my right leg (my good leg) on the front, near the tibia. It continued to get worse, even after walking and stretching so we ended the run at 5 1/2 miles. On the way home from the run, I went to the running store I always go to...Runner's High and Tri. Mark has fit me for every pair of shoes I've owned over the last few years. He used to have me in a Brooks Adrenaline, before my Newtons. ANYWAYS.. he too was baffled about the move to quit the Newton's. He fit me into a pair of Nike Zoomvomeroos .. a neutral shoe. Mark told me that the progression off Newtons means a neutral shoe to continue the midfoot strike. He also said that I should run it 50/50 for awhile. Every other run a Newton run and then a neutral shoe. I'm going to take this advice. ALSO.. I am icing my leg as it hurts to even walk. One last thing, the Sauconys went back to Running Away. I have store credit there now...not sure when I'll be back in there.

The hardest part of this lesson is that running has already been a struggle for me. It is my weakness and I have spent some time learning about my running technique. I felt like my Newton's were my golden egg. I'll work through this and hopefully walk very soon without pain.

My Normal

My boss has been in town since Sunday and it has taken a toll on my training. We had some out of town work to do on Monday and Tuesday. AND then there was other important meetings to get handled. ALL I must add were a great success! I was stressed, exhausted, and feeling guilty. I talked to Coach Keith this morning. He said... It's Week SIX... CHILL! I needed the reality check and the confidence. I do have a Half Ironman in about a month... but I'm not racing it. The trip is more for time with the gurls and my birthday. My boss leaves this afternoon and I'm so excited! I like having my old schedule back and my routines.

A TOAST to back to NORMAL!

Visit to Madison Concourse Hotel

So... Here I am... sitting in the lobby of the Madison Concourse Hotel. I stayed here last night on a business trip. AND... The next time I stay here it will IRONMAN weekend! I am all excited about this! It gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling. This hotel has always meant Ironman to me. When Luddy raced in '07, he stayed here too and I was his Sherpa. It is all very familiar!! I called my Sherpa yesterday from my room to tell her I was here. I told her the next time we're here..I'll be FREAKING OUT! And she will be here to calm my nerves. I can't wait!

ALSO.. this morning... I ran pieces of the run course in a spitting rain and a temperature of 35. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Infact, I almost talked myself out of it... but I am so glad that I didn't. It felt so exhilarating to be out there.. getting it done! I ran around the Capitol Square down to the Monona Terrace and then back up the Square to State and down where the run course meanders. I couldn't remember where it goes....so I just ran around. It was a truly beautiful thing!!

New SpringWidget

Get this widget!

Bike Fit for My Precious

Today... My little precious got a little bike surgery.. and I got a bike fit. It was amazing!!

Things I can be proud of.....
My pedal stroke has come a long way to getting really good! My leg strength has improved immensely! I purchased a bike that can grow with me as I do! My bike accident in September has left very little residual damage on my left side.

Things I learned to work on....
My knees bend out a little bit on the downward of my pedal stroke. I need to stomp more on the front of my pedal stroke, as I am missing major wattage. I don't need to pull my leg up on the back of my pedal stroke. My seat is now high enough that I can turn over the top of my pedal stroke. My arms DONOT need to be locked, but bent and loose. AND MY MAJOR NEWNESS.. the pelvic tilt. I will be working on my pelvic tilt everywhere I go....when I walk, when stand, everywhere so it becomes "normal".

This was my second bike fit. The first was when I first bought the bike. Since I was so new to the sport, they were very conservative about my fit. TODAY, we got to be really aggressive and had aerobars to play with. It was so exciting, that I went ahead and rode again today for about an hour. I can feel the difference! I was warned to let my muscles grow into my new feel.

Last thought.. my lil precious really needs a name! I'm going to ponder it for awhile.

Jen

Prove it

I have to tell this story.. even though it's not mine. Everyone has a different reason to do Ironman. Something motivates you to start the journey and cross the finish line. One of my fellow Ironman compadres this year has a great story.. His nickname.. Worm.

Worm has never ever completed a triathlon. He hasn't ever signed up for one until now. Worm looked at the challenge of an Ironman and said.. I'll do it! Even luckier, he got in online!!! So.. He is totally stooked! About a month after signing up, he is in a bar drinking. There is a gurl near him as he is telling his buddies about this huge feat he is about to embark on. She is a stranger, but yet she comes over to Worm and says.. You will never finish! He and her get in a screaming match.. which end in Worm saying, " I will meet you in this bar one year from today and show you my Ironman medal! I will finish!". I told Worm, when the run gets tough on 9/13.. he will remember this and it will push him further!! I know.. Worm will hear... YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!