IMMOO Camp '09

After a long weekend of workouts on the WI course.. I have learned many new things. It was a great weekend spent with Legs,M, V, and McD. We started with a swim in the most algae part of Lake Monona. I was repeating.. you're a sea monster over and over again to calm myself. Then there was the 85 mile bike ride. Two loops of the Ironman WI course along with getting lost in Verona. AND on Sunday we ran the course once. I, in typical fashion, got lost. BUT.. ran 10 miles anyway and learned where the course is now. The weekend ended with a run/foot analysis and new running shoes.

What did I learn?
* Dr. Pepper at mile 55ish of the bike course tasted MIGHTY TASTY but was not on my nutrition plan.
* Honey Stinger Energy Gels....A GU I will finally eat and enjoy!
* The rides and knowledge I learned from the girls in Phoenix follows me everywhere. I appreciate them taking me in as a newbie more and more each day. They are GREAT!
* Glide does really work when you run long. Sunscreen works too! R-E-A-P-P-L-Y
* Ice baths are the best recovery for my legs.
* The run course follows part of the Crazy Legs race where Tom and I had a BLAST a year ago!
* I need a headlamp for the run.. the lakeshore path is sure to be "dark and scary".
* Strangers can be so kind! A big shout-out to my running partner and my two ride partners for the second loop of the bike. The Ironman community really is a family!
* Getting a second bike fit was the smartest thing I have done in awhile. IT WORKED!

And the number one thing I learned... Nutrition, Nutrition, Nutrition. To feel as strong as I did, and go as long as I did this weekend... I ate like I meant it. It was what carried me through.

My confidence level from this weekend's camp is sky high. Nothing has made me feel more prepared for this Ironman then going out there this weekend and showing the course what I could offer. Thank you to WIBA for putting on a great weekend! It is much appreciated!

BIG Weekend Planned

This weekend is going to be exciting and a lot of hard work! There is a group of us from my training group going to join a LARGER group of Ironman Wisconsin participants for a "All U Ever Needed to Know about IMMOO". Their logo is actually posted above, but that is the gist of it. We arrive tomorrow midday and get situated. Then Saturday we swim and bike two loops of the course (80 miles) with 80 participants. On Sunday, we run one loop of the course and then do a run analysis. My precious has been cleaned and fitted with new tires. She is ready to go! I've done all the last minute fueling purchases and additional food items for the weekend. AND.. the last thing to do is figure out how to battle the heat while I'm out there making BIG things happen. I bought sponges today.....I'm trying to decide if I want them wet or dry, refrigerated or frozen, and where to put them. I'm not at all used to the humidity here. I ran yesterday and my heart rate hit 191. WOW! I will have to get acclimated pretty soon. It helps (I guess) that the air conditioning in my apartment is running constantly but not cooling anything!! They are sending a repair guy tomorrow. In the meantime, when we get to the hotel tomorrow...I'm going to make the room feel like Antarctica! I'm off to Madison and only 80 days now from the BIG DANCE! As they say.... It's now or never baby!

Squirrels and their nuts

My coach has a saying about squirrels and nuts. In the fall, when they are getting ready to hibernate for the winter you will see squirrels dodging all over the place looking for nuts. They don't worry about getting run over or getting stuck somewhere... they just charge on looking for nuts. This year... my nut is Ironman Wisconsin. I'm about to start the largest charge yet. For the next seven weeks we will hit the "crazy" training phase. AND then it's time to settle in for the BIG DANCE... and the long winter. This t-shirt was posted on my coach's Facebook some time last week and I had to have it. I'm excited, nervous, and ready for the nut gathering. Let's go!!

V's FIRST Olympic Distance

I got to get away this weekend and go to Michigan. It was a nice treat! I spent the weekend on the water in a quiet town... away from everyone and with great company! I realized something important this weekend. I love triathlon! I love being a part of the community and going to the races. There is energy found at a race that is hard to replicate anywhere else!! I got to Sherpa V's first Olympic race! It was refreshing to do lil tasks for her that others have done for me in the past. We started early in the morning. After they got their transitions set-up, I started out to ride the bike course. It's the first time I have done this when I've spectated. It was SUPERB! I got to experience what all the racers would be doing that day! It really added to V's debrief of the race. She did great! She missed her goal time by a few minutes. But I suspect that was mostly due to the heat on the run. If you follow this blog, you know Chicago hasn't had heat yet this year. Their run course was 85 and humid. It contributed to some slower times, understandably. The pictures above are from the race. V raced with two of her friends! It was a really great weekend!!

Rest Week means Swim Test

So.. I think I've already mentioned that "rest week" is kind of a fallacy. It is just less work every day and sometimes a threshold test just to keep us honest.

We did our swim test yesterday!! There was a small group of five that came to class. BUT those 5 swimmers ALL IMPROVED their times! AND... most of us made improvements of 5 seconds per 100. BIG WAVES! The best part for me was my improvement was across the board! I was consistently MUCH faster then our previous swim test. I joked with coach that I could stop swimming now... after all, I don't need to get any faster! He didn't agree.

Yesterday... I also got a massage with cupping. Cupping has been in the Chinese culture for a very long time. It is the third time I've had it done. I love the results. I posted some pictures above. The idea behind it is to bring fresh blood to the area of the body, stimulating blood flow in the area, relieving congestion and inflammation in the muscles and opening up pathways to eliminate toxins. . This time I had it on my legs, back and neck. So, those perfect circle marks are all over my body right now. It works tremendously!

Off to Michigan with V for a weekend at the lake house and her first Olympic distance race!

Rest Week is here again.. YIPPEE!

I have some big totals to share with you this week. A 10 mile run on the Lakefront path on Wednesday makes my longest run outside since the injury and I followed it up with a 5 mile run on Friday. Not to shabby for a comeback!

My bike total miles for the week... drum roll please.. 130 miles! YEE HAW! I'm in Ohio for an extended stay at the moment. So, I rode 75 miles by myself today. It was part of a group ride event here but unfortunately I was too fast for any of the riders to play with me. It was interesting to be out there by myself!! I got lost once. The scenery was amazing! I posted some pictures above. Ohio has really done it right. They are changing all the old railroads into paved bike paths. You can go from place to place all over that state on these paths. The best part is the nature around it hasn't been touched. I raced a woodchuck today on the path. He stayed in his lane, but I won! And there were bunnies, coyotes trying to eat bunnies, little moles, and lots of birds. It was so great to see!! I hope other states take notice and start making more places for us to ride.

On a much sadder note, I learned that I am allergic to lanolin. What? Yeah...Lanolin is found in lots of lotions. It happens to be in Chamois butter. The purpose of Chamois butter is to make the ride more comfortable by lubing up your shorts. UNLESS YOU'RE ALLERGIC TO IT! Then its an opportunity to lay with ice in your crotch, absolutely sure that you might die! I have since found Butt Paste that I am going to use instead. AND.. the Benadryl is helping. There is a good chance I will sleep through the night tonight. I knew that saddle sores were in my future when training for Ironman, but I think this tops the cake. The 75 miles today were a true test of how much pain I can really take and keep on going.

Bring on rest week, massages and maybe even acupuncture! I'm ready! My legs need it. The Epsom Salt bath was a good start this afternoon... I know there are many more of those in my future!

Ironman Nutrition

What's the biggest ONE thing you can get right to make Ironman a fun day out there? It's not what you think. It's not training but nutrition. Think about all the times you eat in a day... Now think about an athlete who is going to be swimming, biking, and running all day long.. Yeah that's a lot of calories!

I have been struggling with my nutrition. It seems I finish every bike ride hungry and with liquids to still drink. This is something I must overcome! The picture above is kind-of a joke. There are bottles of fluids with calories in them, and a bento box with solid food and those white packets on the top tube.. GUs. It's someone else's nutrition plan for Ironman.

Yesterday we rode in a cold windy rain. It was a ride where there was a lot of focus on bike handling. When this happens, I find myself forgetting nutrition all together. This was the case yesterday. It was so late in the game when I realized I hadn't ate or drank. The end result was a sore attitude and nearly fainting when I finished the ride. This is something I never want to experience again. SO... my "job" for the week is to get serious about nutrition.

One Hundred Day Countdown

As of today, we are 100 days away from Ironman! That's pretty exciting for me! I feel strong but tired. It's a good feeling that means I've had some key workouts this week.

On Tuesdays, we get together for Ironman class on the computrainers. You can see above..it's a small space where your neighbor is close enough to touch and the heat that radiates is incredible. This Tuesday night we had a killer workout... Bike, Run, Bike, Run, Bike, Run, Bike. It was a "test" of sorts. AND.. my nutrition failed. It's the first time that I can remember wanting to puke but not being able. A completely frustrating feeling!! I survived and I learned from it. Being "stuck" in this small space for a couple hours a week, you can really learn a lot about the group you're training with. This week.. we learned Rhonda's favorite song is, "It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls. This outburst came about the time I was hoping to puke... so you can only imagine my look and grunt as Rhonda paraded around the room shouting at the top of her lungs. It might have resembled that of the Grinch. NOT my best moment. But, luckily Rhonda was so into herself, she never noticed. I'm glad!

Yesterday I experienced my first memorable track workout. Tom Tom my running buddy usually joins this running group on Wednesday nights so he suggested it to me. I met a women who kicked my a**! She pushed my half mile times faster and faster as we did repeats with hill work. Yeah... after Tuesday.. I lay in bed last night and thought I might not have legs in the morning. Infact, when the kick set came this morning at swim practice I begged for a kickboard. No luck! I did dolphin dives instead. OUCHY LEGS.

I really believe this is what Ironman training is all about. I am "weight training" my legs by doing. I kinda like that! On a side note, yesterday I lost my Ironman bracelet. I can't find it anywhere!! I'm pretty frustrated about that.