Back to Wisconsin we went....

It was a great weekend to end the BUILD weeks! Wow!! I drove up to Madison on Friday and trained in the area. It was a really big treat for me. My Friday ride was on the route my bus took when I was a kid. AND my swim on Saturday was in the pool that I guarded/coached at for 4 years. I ate at some nostalgic places as well. The workouts were hard, but the added "fun" was needed. It was keeping things "fresh" at a time when my body was TIRED.

My Precious got some much needed TLC this weekend as well. The gears had been slipping and I noticed the rear derailleur was a bit loose. SO.. I took her to Machinery Row in Madison. These guys are GREAT! Not only did they fix the problems with the bike, but they also installed my new bike computer. She is much happier now and purrs on the course.

My weekly totals ... 5 miles swimming, 138 miles biking and 17 miles running. It was a rough week for me. I stretched myself in many ways and feel like this training is getting me stronger but not faster. It was frustrating swimming on Saturday. I felt like I was going nowhere! I even got sunburned on my back since I was in the water so long. AND... The run yesterday after 83 miles on the bike was snail pace. I hope this is just a product of training and as race day comes, I will get my speed back up. The picture above is at the end of the ride/run yesterday. Ludster came up to train with the Ironman crew. He had a great day!! I always appreciate his insight on things. Thanks for lunch Ludster!!

Learning Lessons

"Every journey to excellence is filled with challenges, victories, setbacks, lessons, and simple joys" - Terry Orlick

The weekend that I signed up for Ironman, I had breakfast with a woman that had become an Ironman in 2007 on the course. I remember her saying to me, "the lessons I learned during Ironman are ones that I use every day." I thought that was quite poignant at the time and think about it often even now. I am coming to the end of a three week build that is the longest and hardest we have ever been tasked with and I'm TIRED. This morning I didn't want to wake up and go to swim practice. I'm a swimmer and I didn't want to suck myself off the bed to get in the pool. A telling moment to be sure!! I did go and I did the whole practice...even though I wanted to skip out part way through. These next few days are going to take mental strength and true gusto! The kind that will help me break through the wall at the end of that run. BUT.. if I can push myself now, it will make the race that much easier because my body will remember how to push when it needs to.

I did it!

Today I rode my very first century ride out in the hills of Barrington, IL. I felt better then I ever thought I would. It was great! I averaged somewhere between 16 - 17 mph...not bad for some of the hills we climbed. My nutrition went really well. I had lots of continued success with coconut water and new success with Honey Stinger gu's. I was THRILLED! This was the nut for the week. We actually rode our bikes 180 miles in 5 days! Is that unbelievable or what??! My other totals for the week.. 10 miles of running and 4 miles of swimming. One more week of building before rest week. This week's nut...... LONG RUN!

A special shout out to my "carrot".... John. He is a phenomenal athlete! I can't wait to ride with him again next weekend! And then again at Ironman.

Halfway Through the Big Weekend

Yesterday we had a great workout out in Barrington, IL. The focus was hills and there was FUN had by all. The workout called for a nice warm up, then a 30 minute time trial and then EIGHT TIMES one hill! We picked a strong hill on Braeburn road. It's one where you need your "granny gear" and then there is a false flat and an additional climb before you get to turn and fly down the hill. It was so nice to do it as a team. People encouraging each other up and down the hill!! I was the SLOWEST climber. I did make the workout, but it is something I need to keep working on. After we finished that, Ludster took us on a tour. He was a good tour guide until we rode through standing water. What an adventure!

Today we had a swim and a run. I met DT down at Ohio Street Beach for a one miler in Lake Michigan. I didn't feel myself when I woke up this morning. AND.. as I was swimming, I vomitted. I think it was something I ate last night. I was at a Fourth of July party and ate all kinds of foods that I don't usually eat. I came home and took a nap and then tried the run. It has been raining all day today in Chicago. So.. out in the rain I went to get 'er done. BUT.. my body still wasn't ready for a run. I did make it 4 miles before I headed home for a shower and back to resting and fluids.

TOMORROW.. I am suppose to ride 100 miles and run 3. It is worrying me a bit now, since I haven't felt myself today. I am hopeful that by resting, eating right, and drinking lots of fluids..I'll be all right. My plan is to still head out there tomorrow and see what I can do. Coach has asked me to be careful so as not to set back all my workouts next week. I promise to pay attention to my body and do what I can.

Doing, Doing, Doing IT

Five frogs are sitting on a log. Four decide to jump off. How many are left? There are still five - because there’s a difference between deciding and doing. -from Five Frogs On A Log by Michael F Spratt

Starting tomorrow morning I will be doing something I have NEVER done before. It is something that scares me... just a little bit. It is also something that excites me.. A LOT. I am going to ride by bike for over 10 hours in 5 days. This is the NUT for the week! It will mean I need to have good nutrition, strong recovery tactics, and smart cycling technique. I bought new shoe inserts for my cycling shoes yesterday. SO far, It looks like i have riding partners for the weekend. SO... off we go to... to DO, DO, DOING IT!

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!