moms tri harder

Race Report: Midwest Indoor Tri Classic Series

2012-02-13T08:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I raced in the Midwest Indoor Tri-Classic Series.

I am always super nervous for the first race of the year and yesterday was no different. Saturday night I hardly slept and was full of dread. Here is a snapshot of what was going on in my brain:

Brain: I can't believe I signed myself up for this race series. I hate it. It is so fast and awful.
Me: What are you thinking? You'll be fine.
Brain: I am not ready to run. I haven't been running. How can I get out of this...I can't believe I have to run fast tomorrow. Why did I do this???????????
Me: OMG, it's only a 15 minute run. You can do anything for 15 minutes. You can sprint for 15 minutes - no problem. It will be okay.
Brain: I haven't been working on long sprint swims, only short ones, I'm not ready to sprint swim for 10 minutes. Crap, I can't believe I have to do that tomorrow. Crap.
Me: I am a faster swimmer this year! PR the swim, do your flip turns. Yes, I can do this, totally. 24 laps in 10 minutes-No problem.
Brain: Maybe I will just take it easy tomorrow. I mean, my back is still not 100%. Maybe I should just go easy. Yes, I can do that. It's my choice...
Me: No, I will go fast. I will make myself go fast...

I woke Sunday full of nervous. My hands were jittery. I was killing myself over a 1 hour triathlon! But, do you to know the real reason why I was nervous? I wanted a personal best. I want to swim, bike AND run better than last year. But when you are coming off an injury, take a large amount of time off, and have not been running, THAT was going to be a challenge. Hence why I was nervous. Usually, my races are fairly far and too crazy, crowd wise, to bring the kids, but for this one, being in my town, my husband got the kids ready and drove over to watch me race. They never see me race so that was really cool to have them there. I know they were bored silly but it meant a lot.

Indoor triathlons are strange and I think harder than a regular sprint triathlon. But, they are good for training and help blow out the remaining winter cobwebs. For this one, you try to complete as many laps as you can during a 10 minute swim, bike as many miles as you can within 20 minutes and and then run as many laps as you can in 15 minutes.

The Race:
10 minute swim: You know how some days you feel on and others - well not so much? I told my husband after the swim that I felt off. I think about 5 laps into the swim I wanted to quit. I mean, I really did. My back was aching slightly and I felt out of it. I have no idea why I was feeling this way. I was not tired, I was well hydrated, etc. I just think it was a slightly off day. Anyway, I kept going and hit 10 laps and then seemed to be okay. I was keeping up with my lane mate and started pushing it. I had chickened out of doing flip turns so I would lose him at the wall but then catch up to him again. This happened over and over. I should have done my flip turns. I am just not confident doing flip turns when swimming hard AND with a lane mate next to me AND next to the wall and stairs... Which by the way, I hate swimming next to the wall and stairs. I completed 22 laps. 1 1/2 more laps than last year! Not bad. I wanted 24 but I need to do my flip turns to get that.
20 minute bike: The night before the race, my husband asked me which was the worst part of this race. I told him it was the bike - for sure. You ride stationary bikes with no fans (they had fans this year) and it is all out for 20 minutes. I was mistaken. The bike was not bad! Though this probably means I did not try as hard as a should. The bike is tricky. Looking back, my cadence was too high (110) and I probably should have cranked up my levels. Again, just not into it but I did PR it! 6.8 miles in 20 minutes. They did have new bikes this year so I am not sure if that made a difference.
15 minute run: This totally sucked. I don't remember the run being so horrible. I was in bad, bad shape and falling apart. I had a very hard time holding pace and keeping myself from not walking. I felt like I was running at a snails pace. I so wanted to walk. I felt so out of shape. My friend Matt, who was racing with me, told me to find a rabbit and just stick with him or her. Well, I found two guys and held on. Some guys are so funny about getting passed by a girl. Seriously, grow up! WTH? So, here's what happened, I went to pass one of the guys and he did a Nascar move and blocked me on the left "passing" lane. THEN, he blocked my on the right and then again on the left. I finally just charged right and took him. My husband said he saw it which was funny that it was so obvious. I completed 23.5 laps. That is just about 2 miles in 15 minutes. A 1/2 lap less than last year but hey, I have not been running.
I came in 3rd in my age group. That's cool. Guess what? Lucky me! I get to do this all over again in 2 weeks!

Running Faster: 8 Things I have Learned

2012-02-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago a friend asked me how I became a faster runner.

Up until recently, I never thought about how I got faster. But, being without my favorite coach at the moment, coach Jennifer Harrison, and currently putting my own weekly workout plans together, that question is really important to me.

How did I get faster??? How did I go from running a 5K in 28 minutes, three years ago, to running my most recent 5K in under 21:00 minutes - on hills? After some thought, I came up with the following:

8 Things I have Learned about Running Faster from Coach Jenny:

Slower makes you faster. I run slower BUT longer regularly. It seems natural now, but when I first started doing my slow, easy, low heart rate runs, I could not make sense of them. I trusted Jen, but I felt like Karate Kid, all "wax on, wax off" and frustrated. Why AM I DOING THESE SNAILS PACE RUNS? Seriously, THESE super slow runs are going to make me a better runner? BUT THEY DO!
A heart rate monitor is your best friend. It tells you when your HR is too high, too low. It even tells you when you are not feeling well (HR off) AND mine tells me how many calories I have burned.
Limit "grey zone" runs - the kind of running that is not easy but also not hard. This is especially true when building base running.
Nix the headphones/music. I KNOW - SO HARD! I now listen to my breathing and heart rate (which I can guess at any time within a point or two).
Hills are an important part of training if you want to get faster.
Form is essential. It helps with speed and efficiency. I now do running form drills on a regular basis.
Rest weeks are necessary. They help you recover, allow you to keep building and help avoid injury.
You need to concentrate at all times during a race - not let your mind wander. Keep tabs on fueling, heart rate, breathing, form.

Have a great weekend! KO

Sh!t Runners Say

2012-02-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

These videos crack me up. Couldn't resist posting!

In Pain Just Looking at It: Weekly Workout Log

2012-02-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

My Week in Workouts:
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. This is the first hard week in a while. Showers are so overrated.

Monday:
1 hr strength
Tuesday:
Masters swim: 1hr. 2,300 yards
Bike: 1hr15min, intervals
Wednesday:
Run: 50 minutes, speed work
Swim: 1,800 yards
Thursday:
Bike: 1hr trainer, strength work
Friday:
Masters swim: 1hr
Bike: 1hr easy ride
Saturday:
Run: 1hr10min easy run.
Sunday:
MITCS Indoor Sprint Triathlon!!! I'm a little nervous.

Because We All Need a Little Inspiration

2012-02-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

Inspirational runner/super mom Kim

One of the main reasons for creating this blog was to connect with others that run or do triathlons - regardless if you have been doing it for years or are brand new. I love success stories and thought this would be a great place to share stories and keep motivated by others. Don't you just love success stories??? I love them! I probably have about 10 magazines laying around right now that I read over and over again because of the success stories in them.

I asked my sister to share her story. Kim, was 39 when she took up running. She is inspiring and I am very proud of her. Her story is below. I would love to hear other stories! If you have a inspiring story to share or know someone who inspires you to keep moving, send me an email (with pictures!) at ke_oreilly@yahoo.com. I would love to share on my blog!

It's 11 p.m. at night, but my alarm is already set to go off at 5 am tomorrow so I can run 6 miles while my husband and kids still sleep.

How did I get to this point? I began running 4 years ago as my 40th birthday loomed. Many of my friends were dreading the milestone, but I had a different perspective.

A year earlier, one of my college roommates -- a mom of three small children -- lost her long battle with breast cancer. Watching her suffer was beyond awful. I'd never seen firsthand how cancer ravages a body; the experience left me shaken and feeling vulnerable.

Eventually, reality hit hard: one day I would be hobbled by age or other factors beyond my control.

Once that set in, I resolved to make the most of my good health and relative youth while I still could. Generally I had good eating habits, but for a decade, exercise had taken a back seat to motherhood and work.

That had to change. I remember thinking: Let's see what this body can really do.

Not to undermine the fact I'd birthed three children ... indeed, each of my pregnancies had been high-risk, starting with my first, when I was on bedrest for three months, culminating in a six-week hospital stay. By bedrest, I mean needing a doctor's order just to shower. Ugh. That's when I learned how hard inactivity is on your body. I had back spasms from being prone 24/7 and wore orthopedic stockings to ward off blood clots.

However, my stint as a quiet vessel paid off when I delivered a gorgeous, healthy, almost-full-term baby boy. The bad news was that once home with my bundle, I could barely walk around the block. Besides recovering from a C-section, my muscles were weak and cardiovascular endurance nil. Youth on my side, I did rebound, but new parenthood and a new career as a freelance writer left me constantly sleep deprived. Eventually we added two more children. In between, efforts to throw exercise into the mix were sporadic and short-lived.

To be honest, another barrier was that I never struggled with weight. Pregnancy pounds came off without much effort. As long as I returned to my old size, I figured I was good ... never mind that for a decade I was out of breath carrying a toddler upstairs or my thighs would burn while I crouched to pick up toys.

So around the one-year anniversary of my friend's passing, I started running. My only prior experience was running inconsistently during my college years. Also, I had a memory from junior high of being one of the only kids to complete a one-mile "fitness run." In high school I considered going out for the cross country team but never did. Could I maybe have some untapped potential deep within?

I started walking with a friend early in the morning and we gradually added short intervals of running. I can't stress how slowly we increased those intervals. I was really afraid of getting injured. Then one day I got caught in a rainstorm while pushing my daughter in a stroller. I set off running and for the first time, it felt completely natural. By the time I got home, I was soaked and elated -- my first "runner's high!"

My friend and I set a goal to run a 5K, and we did it (again in pouring rain) shortly after I turned 40.

Since then, I've run 2 marathons, 3 half marathons, a 15K, numerous 5Ks and other distances, and I'm registered to run my 3rd marathon later in 2012.

What has running brought to my life?

Sanity, new friends, discipline, more energy, "me" time, and a connection to other runners in my town and everyone who enjoys the scenic, limestone gravel path that cuts through our community. Best of all, my kids (sons, 15 and 11, and a daughter, 7) are growing up as avid runners. The boys have run cross country and a few 5Ks, and my daughter likes to play "runner girl" by dashing around our family room and letting me adorn her with my race ribbons. I hope to set an example, especially for her, of focusing on what your body can do -- not on what it looks like. That said, being active does pay off in the form of hard-earned muscle. My husband appreciates the physical benefits. Let's just leave it at that:) He's now talking about competing in his first triathlon, saying he has to "keep up."

Every runner has a story. That's mine. Thanks for listening. I've got to get to bed ...

Superbowl Sunday Inspiration :)

2012-02-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

Fab Find Friday 2/3/12

2012-02-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year, I switched over to a new replenishment drink. I had been using Gatorade, along with GU's, in order to replenish and fuel my bod during long runs, swim, hard bike classes and, of course, triathlons, but there were more times than not I would feel bloated, nauseous, and even cramp.

After reading one of coach Jen's blogs about switching over her race nutrition due to various reasons, I decided to make a change and tried out a sports drink called EFS (Electrolyte Fuel System) from 1st Endurance.

Now, my stomach is very sensitive and I was worried it would have that awful chalky or super sweet taste some sports drinks have, but it doesn't. It's actually kind of a less-sweet version of Gatorade, which I like. But, after several swigs of Gatorade the sweetness tends to get to me and I can feel it swimming in my stomach - blah!. I know many people water down their Gatorade, for this reason (I used to do this too), but then you are not getting the full benefits you need from the drink...

So, EFS, I am not exaggerating here, I noticed an immediate difference (it actually says that on the container but, really, I did notice a difference!). To give you an example, I used to cramp at the end off a long swim workout, EVERY single time. I hardly ever cramp anymore. But, maybe that's because I am a better swimmer??? NO, I am still a terrible swimmer! It's the EFS. I think it just replenishes the body faster and better. I also have very little, if any, bloating and I think I last a little longer using EFS, but maybe that is the placebo effect. I don't know.

There is a lot of science backing up EFS. I won't bore you with all the details but basically it has the highest electrolyte content of all the sports drinks out there (this is what prevents cramping and dehydration) by a long shot. Gatorade has 449mg per 12oz serving versus EFS, which has a whopping 1,160mg of all 5 electrolytes. It also supposedly absorbs faster, allowing your muscles to get refueled quickly. Last, EFS contains amino acids. EFS states, "The benefits of using free-form amino acids are that because they're small molecules they are much easier to digest and absorb while exercising, they don't cause bloating and they don't cause gas." I'll take it! I DO NOT bloat as much as I used to using this drink so that is great with me!

So, my Fab Find this Friday is 1st Endurance EFS. It comes in a powder that you add to water. There are also "shots" available but I have not used those and I think they are more concentrated / potent form. The powder comes in different flavors - I use the fruit punch flavor. You can get it on-line here:
http://www.trisports.com/first-endurance-drink.html

Happy Fueling!
KO

Obstacles

2012-02-02T08:34:00.000-08:00

I've kind of had it. I tend to lose it when my kids are sick. I don't know if it is the sleep deprivation, being off schedule, not accomplishing anything for days, or all of the above.

Last week, my kids where home sick from school - for the WHOLE ENTIRE WEEK, while my husband was out of town. Good times. Today, less than a week later, I am home today with my daughter who has a high fever/stomach flu. No run today. Every day, there are always obstacles. Triathlon and running have taught me a lot about self-discipline and obstacles and usually I am pretty good about working around them. But, sick kids is a big wall for me. I could bike on my trainer when she is asleep...

I feel like I am falling farther and farther behind from all this illness. I need this winter to end. I need to open the windows and all the doors and get the illness out of our house.

Tomorrow is another day and it is my early morning. I swim masters at 6AM and I feel better just knowing that I will be back on some sort of schedule tomorrow. Today, I will try to make the most of it and try not to let the blues get me down.

Where did it go?

2012-02-01T01:33:00.000-08:00

This morning I dragged myself, and my daughter, to computrainer class. I had no idea what computrainer was when I first started about a year ago. It's another crazy triathlon/bike thing. In computrainer class, your bike (and 5 or 6 other nicer bikes), is connected to a computer that tracks your speed, distance, watts (power output - I didn't know what that meant either.), etc. The computer your connected to has courses and programs that you then "ride" to help improve your biking skills.

So, 10 minutes into the "Escape to Alcatraz" 20 mile hill ride, I lost my mojo. In my head, I was trying to come up with any excuse for why I needed to get off my bike, pack my things up and go shopping at Old Navy and The Gap. I really struggled.

After stopping at home for lunch, I dropped my daughter at preschool and then went to pool to swim. I usually swim in the morning BEFORE biking but my husband had a an early meeting (Yeah! I was secretly happy I did not have to get up and dive into a cold pool) so off to the pool at lunchtime. SAME DARN THING! 1000 yards in I called it quits. I felt like I was going to sink to the bottom of the pool.

One lousy day and I am in full doubt mode. I have a super sprint indoor triathlon in a week and a half and am growing worried I am not in shape for it. I am doing the race with a friend, who is a fastie, and usually they place us in a semi fast wave. I hope I can keep up. I need my mojo back. Where is it??? Some days you have it and some days you don't!

Let's Be Honest

2012-01-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

We can't do it all, though it sure looks like it on Facebook, doesn't it? Everyone looks so great. There are super photos of cool events, cute kids and cute families and pretty houses...

But, this a place to be honest. Most days, I think Mom's are running around like chicken's with their head's cut off - carrying a huge "to do" list, including trying to fit in a workout. We really can not do it all. In the real world, we are not superwomen. I know. So, on that note, guess what lost out to my workout today? I have a messy house but I fit my workout in! Whoo-hoo! What lost out to your workout today???

The dishes

The front hall

Folding the laundry

Can you tell I am sore and tired?

2012-01-26T10:51:00.000-08:00

That's a funny picture isn't it? I think for most of us, including me, fitting in regular exercise is not something we love to do. In fact, I have a secret...I really do not like to workout. I like the results but I don't like ANYTHING else, really. It hard to make it work, isn't it? I am exhausted by the planning, the thinking about and the doing!!! AHHHHHH! (BTW, these are the ramblings of a person who is SORE and TIRED and really should be starting her 1.5 hour, BORING as-all-get-up, bike workout, but is finding anything to do BUT THAT...so I probably do not hate my workouts as much as I think I do right now.) sigh. I'm gonna get on the bike...

I thought this was a funny article about starting to run /exercise and thought I would share!
10 Reasons Running Doesn’t Suck As Much As You Think

by Susan Lacke

The word “running” used to conjure up painful and awkward memories of gym class. My middle-school gym teacher, Mrs. Morey, would stand her roly-poly body at the top of the hill behind our school, barking through a megaphone between bites of beef jerky at us red-faced kids as we ran circles around the track. According to her, running was supposed to build character, or whatever it is they teach gym teachers to say in gym teacher school.

Needless to say, most of the gasping kids on the track were thinking the same thing: Character? you. Choke on your jerky, fatty.

Your first experience with running was probably in gym class. And it’s quite possible it left the same rancid taste in your mouth, with little desire to ever run again. But no more! I hit the reset button on my attitude towards running, and for the last two years, have gone from hating running to loving it (most of the time). Running really doesn’t suck as much as you think. Here’s why:

Most races and fun runs are full of hot bodies in very little clothing. Let me repeat that: HOT PEOPLE. WEARING PRACTICALLY NOTHING. Wear sunglasses, and ogle with reckless abandon.
You can lose weight by drinking nothing but hot water with lemon. Or you can run for an hour, treat yourself to a cookie and still fit into your skinny jeans. One of these options makes you bitchy; the other makes you rad.
Take your iPod with you, and your runs suddenly become a safe place to indulge your love of boy-band music. With enough practice, you can even blend in a couple dance moves from ‘Bye Bye Bye’. Don’t lie: You’ve still got that routine memorized.
When your boss, your melodramatic friend and your nagging to-do list won’t leave you alone, calmly put on your running shoes and head out the door. They won’t follow you. It’s a safer alternative to storming out with both middle fingers in the air (though you can -and should- still do this in your head, just for spectacular effect).
You’ll discover lululemon pants are good for more than just buying tampons and Cheez-its at Target (I know, ladies. My world was rocked with that discovery, too.).
Running is the last place you have to “be a lady.” Sweat, snot and sneaking behind a bush to pee is not only liberating it’s fun, in that giggly-childish-naughty kind of way.
Getting a run in before happy hour means you get tipsy on half a glass of wine instead of your usual two. That’s not being a lush, that’s just sound economic planning.
Studies have shown that runners have better sex. Sex counts as a cross-training workout, which in turn makes you a better runner, which – hello! – leads to even better sex. Really, the whole thing is full of win-wins.
Girls are lucky; there’s an entire industry committed to making us look awesome while getting our sweat on. Workout clothes come in all sorts of cool colors and designs. Jockstraps, on the other hand, will always be ugly with questionable stains.
Non-runners will sit on the couch and call you crazy. Those folks, sadly, will never learn what their bodies are capable of. You, on the other hand, will die knowing you completely, totally, unabashedly used up the body that was loaned to you. That’s not crazy. That’s freakin’ awesome.

Susan Lacke does 5Ks, Ironman Triathlons, and everything in between to justify her love for cupcakes (yes, she eats that many). In addition to authoring "Boob Sweat" on HelloGiggles, she is a featured columnist for Competitor Magazine and NoMeatAthlete.com. You can find all her work in her own little corner of the World Wide Web: www.SusanLacke.com.

Fabulous Find Friday 1/20/12

2012-01-20T14:36:00.000-08:00

We all have them - the go to run shorts, sports bra, shirt, etc. I have way to many workout clothes that I never wear for one reason or another. I seem to wear the same 5 or 6 items over and over again because...they work for working out!

The stuff that doesn't work? Well, I have the pair of run pants I THOUGHT were great until I realized how thin they were - I was jiggling all over the place while running (not pretty), the sports bra that works well but looks TERRIBLE, the pair of run shorts with NO pockets - not one (WTH???), the swimsuit that does not fit well and did not realize until AFTER the first wear, the run shirts that are too hot, too thick, too tight, too constricting...Oh my Gosh, I have waaay to many workout shirts and don't even get me started on the ugly, ugly tri shirts and bottoms.

So, my Fabulous find for this week is a pair of workout crops I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and wear a few times each week. They are called the Back on Track Run Crops by Lululemon. I know their stuff is a bit pricey but they are absolutely THE BEST run pants I have ever had. First and foremost, they make me look skinny and they go to about mid-calf which I think is great. Also, they are not too thin but also not too thick and they kind of have a semi compression feel to them so I can wear them to the gym or out for a run when it is cool. I have worn them in running on a 34 degree rainy day and they kept me warm. They wash very well and still look new! They are seamless and have 4 or five FLATTERING, easy to access pockets - which are unbelievably hard to find in a pant or short!!! I can stuff tissue and gels along one side of my leg and my phone on the other side. My keys fit in the back pocket. I always wondered why manufactures did not make more pockets on workout pants. Now I have a pair, Whoo-hoo!

My Fabulous Find this week: Back on Track Run Crops by Lululemon

http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/women-crops/Run-Back-On-Track-Crop?cc=9777&skuId=3431602&catId=women-crops

In case your wondering, this is not me! I wish. :)

Easing Into the New Year

2012-01-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

January 1st. I don't really like the very first day of the year. I am full of anxiety, kind of like the first day of class when you receive your syllabus. Do you remember that feeling? Ugh. You would walk out of class with an ache in your belly. With triathlon, the training plan for the year is all laid out and full of promise. It looks simple on paper - just like the course syllabus. But, to get from off season to "A" race ready will take lots and lots of work and commitment. Do I have it in me, again? It's that same fear of starting a new job, a new 300 level course, a new diet, a new workout regimen. Can I stick to the plan, especially when I have slacked for what seems like forever??? Can I will myself out of bed twice a week, every week, for early morning masters swims??? Looking at the BIG picture is scary. I don't like starting over. Does anyone? The pressure to improve, the fear of the unknown, the fear of failure, the what if's. My blood pressure is rising just writing this...but then, I remember, "One day at a time, Karen." and, I am okay.

I am easing into things and that is how I have gotten to today - January 16th. Don't "they" say it takes 21 days to break a habit? I feel like I am breaking a habit - the holiday break habit. But I'm taking it one day at a time - trying to just focus on THAT day and not the 9 hrs. of workouts for the week. Most of my weekly workouts right now are not hard, they just require consistency - putting on my workout clothes or swimsuit and just getting it done. To build my base I HAVE to stick to the plan and overcome those inner demons that say, "it's okay to skip masters just this once". The other day I was NOT in the least bit stoked about a 1 hr bike I had planned. It was a pretty easy workout (think light spinning for an hour) but my head was just not there. I convinced myself to just get on the bike and after 15 minutes, if I did not want to do it, I could get off. I rode the full hour. You do what you need to do. Putting pen to paper and writing out goals is easy but make them happen... It is ALL you.

My back is healed and I am feeling good, even running - lightly. I lost the lbs I gained over Christmas...and Thanksgiving....and New Year's. I am sticking to the plan. I am excited!!!

My Big Mistake!

2012-01-06T09:37:00.001-08:00

It's funny how things work. It seems I only get really, REALLY sick when I am doing nothing but going to parties, drinking, eating way too much, gaining weight and getting, what I feel, is waaaay out of shape.

During my mid-November break from all things triathlon, I caught a nasty cold that then turned into a super nasty sinus infection around Thanksgiving. My kids got it too, of course. Then, a couple of weeks later, My son got croup and the flu and missed school for a week. Then my daughter got it the next week. Then, I got it. Terrible cough, sinus infection, flu...We were finally sick free the week of Christmas! Yippee!!! My body was still tired and I still had a lingering cough but I was soooo happy to not be sick that I decided it would be a SUPER GREAT idea to dive right back into training - I dropped the hammer and went full throttle.

Big, big, HUGE mistake. I knew better. Any coach will demand you rest until you are fully recovered or risk a major illness or injury...but I felt so out-of-shape and soft...

I started 2012 struggling to walk.

On Christmas Eve, 2 hours before leaving for Mass, I pulled a muscle in my lower back and bam! I was on the ground. I could not walk. It lasted over 2 weeks. I have never been in so much constant pain. It was horrible. Every minute of everyday was filled with extreme pain. A week later, on New Year's eve, with the pain not letting up, I willed myself to go outside and walk for 30 minutes. The idea of having a cane popped in my head. I so badly wanted a crutch to help me walk. But, you know what??? I felt a ton better! Still not great, but I could deal. I had read that light exercise can help the recovery process, along with PT and stretching and strengthening your core. I walked 40 minutes the next day and felt pretty good - I was not thinking the whole time about a cane! So, since New Year's I have been doing PT exercises 2 times a day, working on my core, walking, swimming and eating healthy...and finally I am feeling close to 100%. It's still there-but everyday it's getting stronger.

I am taking it easy. It is only January. No running. I am biking (easy), working on my core strength and swimming 3 times per week. Lesson learned. Slow and steady wins the race.

Fabulous Find Friday 1/06/11!

2012-01-06T08:52:00.001-08:00

I hate goggle marks. Especially when I am 40 years old and they now seem to last ALL DAY and really bring out my current under eye wrinkles and dark circles.

Nothing is worse than walking around all day long with big old dark red suction circles around your eyes from your goggles being suctioned to your eye socket for an hour. It's a lovely look and I get lots of great comments like: You look tired. and Are you sick?

Right now I own about 12 goggles - almost all bought in the attempt to eliminate goggle marks. At masters we laugh about goggle mark stories (I know funny, right?) like going to a meeting with goggle marks, etc. One woman showed up once with a huge snorkeling type mask. She said she had a wedding to do to that night and did not want marks. Funny stuff. Well, funny to me. Why do I feel like I am talking about band camp all of a sudden?...

Okay, so anyway...This past summer I FINALLY found a a pair that do not give me serious goggle marks and are still effective goggles. I still get a very slight redness but more on the upper brow - No big deal - I'll take it! The key is that the goggles sit just outside the eye socket. The goggles are NOT a mask but they are slightly bigger that the typical racing goggles you would use at a swim meet. But you know what? For masters swims and/or long pool workouts they are great! No goggle marks and my eyes do not feel like they are going to pop out my head at the end of a pool workout. Also, they are awesome in triathlon! They tend to stay in place better when getting knocked around at the start of the swim. I see a lot of racers wearing them.

So, my fabulous find for this week is a great pair of goggles that do not give me goggle marks! Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!! They come in a variety of colors and also have a tinted/smoked lens option for those races when you are swimming into the sun.

Aqua Sphere Kayenne Goggles
http://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Sphere-20222-Kayenne-Goggle/dp/B0030DI8NA

Have a great weekend!

Fabulous Find Friday!

2011-12-30T10:06:00.000-08:00

So I thought this might be a fun post to do....Who doesn’t like to answer the hypothetical “deserted island” questions?

Mine? If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 1 beauty product would you bring? The one thing that you can't live without?

I know, so vain, right?

But let's face it, I am 40 years old, am outside a lot, sweat everyday, swim a couple days in week in a chlorinated pool and usually have no makeup on for a large part of the day. I think you get the picture. I need all the help I can get!

I know there are many other lady athlete's out there in the same boat, so I decided I would start a fabulous find Friday blog and share some products that have helped me in the fight against age, goggle marks, dry skin, dry hair, wrinkles, sunburn, windburn, chaffing, sore muscles, cramps...this list can go on, and on, and on, and on..................................

My go to product this week? Latisse. I have short, thin lashes and always hated going to the gym and racing without mascara - I always felt so beady eyed and naked! Latisse it a prescription lash product that makes your lashes longer, thicker and darker. You can get it through your dermatologist. It is worth every cent - it rocks!!! I have tried other non-prescription and this is the only one that really, really works! I have been using it for over two years now and LOVE IT! I can not live without it! I still wear mascara a few days a week but I can now do without too! I am not wearing any today! Both my top and bottom lashes are about double their length and are much thicker/denser and they are noticeably darker. They are so long that my top lashes actually hit my sunglasses from time to time WITHOUT mascara on. The downside to Latisse is it makes your eyes a bit red (eye drops baby!) and you have to use it almost everyday for the first 16 weeks and then every other day, at least, in order to keep the thick, long lashes. The positive: I look more youthful, I feel like I have mascara on all the time and I have had people ask me if I am wearing mascara when I am not! Also, I actually had to trim my top lashes recently!

So, there you have it! I know this is so frivolous but I hope it helps! :)

Winter blah's!

2011-12-21T03:10:00.000-08:00

I have been trying so hard to get back into my regular routine of bike, run, strength and swim workouts but the flu and cold has now put a grip on our house for exactly 2 1/2 weeks. That right, so instead of taking a well deserved 3 week break from anything that breaks a sweat, I now find myself going 5 1/2 weeks without any consistent workout routine - it is killing me.

Aside from 2 or 3 computrainer classes, I have been unable to do ANYTHING - this includes showering, sleeping, cleaning the house, and even shopping out at the stores. This is what happens when you have a 6 year old come down with croup and then the flu, complete with a 102 degree fever, and misses school for 1 week AND THEN your 4 1/2 year old gets the same thing and misses a full week of school the next week. On top of this, I got the flu/cold. If I did not have to take care of my kids I would have been curled up in a ball in my bed for a week. Even still, I do not feel 100% - my ears are pooping and my throat hurts from coughing the entire night.

Yesterday was the first day in a week I managed to workout- I ran for the first time in weeks. I made it to computrainer today which is a huge feat as I drag my daughter with me, complete with crayons, books, paper, Leapster, iphone, a cushy chair. You would have thought she was spending the night there, BUT it bought me 1:15 on the bike! You do what you have to do to make it work, right? I am supposed to swim today but my left ear is still clogged to I guess I am going to run...blah! I have to get back in that pool - though to tell you the truth I feel sooo soft and mushy, the thought of putting a swimsuit on...I can not believe how fast a body can go from in shape to no shape. Yep, winter is here.

I can not wait until Christmas! The kids are BEYOND excited!!! Thank goodness for the Internet though- it has saved me! I have no idea how I would have gotten their gifts purchased while being sick! I have bought almost 90% of my gifts on-line, along with my wrapping paper! Whoo-hoo! What did parents do before the Internet??? Seriously.

25 Random Things

2011-11-19T18:42:00.000-08:00

Easy peesy, lemon squeezy. I have been in full rest mode for almost two weeks. I'm kind of done with it. I have cleaned, organized and hung out too much. I am bored. I feel lost. I have been keeping some fitness by doing some light rides and swims but that is about it. No running. So in keeping with my boredom and laziness, here are 25 (boring) tidbits about me (I posted this on FB a while ago, so no work involved here):

1. I am crazy about having a clean sink. I bleach it and shine it everyday. It needs to sparkle pretty much all day long and I hardly ever put dishes in the sink.
2. I secretly believe I helped flip flops grow in popularity and become trendy. It's a long story but I was on vacation and scraped up my foot so I bought a pair of "Reef" flip flops since I could not wear my normal sandals. At the time flip flops were really only sold in specialty surf stores and such. I loved them and wore them all the time when I got back to Chicago. I had tons of people ask me where I got my "shoes" and I would tell them. I kid you not, the next summer, flip flops were everywhere. Enough said.
3. I have traveled to 15 different countries. Spain is my favorite.
4. I think my husband is the smartest person I have ever met.
5. I think my husband is SUPER cute.
6. My Dad & Mom are my hero’s. Both Raised 5 kids, put all of us through school, and have always put us first, even now. It is the way I want to raise my children.
7. I LOVE reading Us Weekly and People Magazine. I am hooked.
8. My husband makes me want to be a better person.
9. My least favorite word is Stupid. I wish that this was not in our language.
10. I won a Sex and the City Charlotte look-a-like contest. I think I won a set of martini glasses and a gift certificate and chance to be on show (never happened).
11. I was a brownie drop out. I made it through 1 year. Not my thing, though it didn't help that the we had two chain smoking, boring as all getup, Brownie leaders. While all the other troops went swimming and ice skating, we sat in the school cafeteria watching our leaders light up and got to create"walnut families". I kid you not.
12. I don’t really cook, my husband does. Is frozen pizza considered cooking? :)
13. I want to go back to school and get my Esthetician license.
14. I want to build a backyard ice rink this winter!!!
15. I LOVE my children more than anything. But, I really do not get the whining, crying and tantrums we have about brushing teeth time. Uh, HELLO! THIS IS NOT NEW. WE DO IT EVERY FREAKING DAY.
16. I don’t really believe in Hell.
17. I had a Dorothy Hamil haircut when I was maybe 5? I HATED IT. I used to wrap a towel on my head and pretend I had long hair.
18. I have had stitches 5 times. 2 times through my left eyebrow (the 1st was from falling into one of our 1970's metal chairs and the second was from a nail that was sticking out of our basement stairs), 2 times from a c-section (can hardly even notice it), 1 time (13 stitches!) above my front 4 teeth to remove a cyst.
19. I drive a Volvo XC90 with a white interior. Needless to say, I clean it A LOT!
20. I don’t do it in front of my children, but I think I swear too much. I told my sister I know it’s going to be a crazy day when I have said _____ 5 times by 9:00AM.
21. I have about 7 unexplained bruises/bumps on my body right now. I think I rush to do things to fast and never realized my knee slammed into the corner of a table, etc. Hence, why I swear too much?
22. I have post nasal drip that seems to NEVER go away. It is very annoying and I feel I sound like Melanie Griffith in Working Girl, constantly clearing her throat. I am a throat clearer!
23. I have crazy issues with allergies ever since having my daughter Lily. I ended up in the ER when my throat started closing up from taking penicillin - which I was never allergic to before having my daughter. 4 years later...At this very moment, I have a rash all over my torso and back from taking Advil yesterday for a sore throat. The doctors think my mast cells are messed up.
24. I LOVE when my son says, “Mommy, I want to cuddle” which he says a lot and I love the way my kids smell - sweat, candy, Ahhh. Often, I tell my son I need to check him. I then smell his head and tell him, "yep, you smell like Jack O'Reilly!".
25. I am about 30% gray, maybe even 40% now, (the Irish curse!) though you would not know as I am religious about getting my hair dyed and highlighted! Shhh…

Chicago's Sweetest Race, Hot Chocolate 15K Race Report

2011-11-07T07:10:00.000-08:00

It has been exactly one year since I have rested from training.

After just completing the Ghiradelli-sponsored Chicago Hot Chocolate 15k (9.3 miles), I am sooo ready for a rest. I am not exactly sure what to do with myself but for the next two weeks I am resting my bod. Let me say it again, I really do not know what to do with myself! I think I am going to be sick of me by the end of these two weeks as I find myself obsessively thinking about re-organizing things, cleaning, etc. I also find myself fretting about starting training back up. I find it so hard to start anything back up after stopping, whether it is eating healthy, exercising, going back to work after a vacation. Do you know what I mean? I always try to reminding myself it just takes a few days to back into things but it is that anticipation and anxiety of getting that rusty wheel to run smoothly again...

My last race of the season! I am so happy with how this season turned out. It has been very rewarding - no, extremely rewarding. I hit goals I never thought I would hit - that were not even a goal this season. This race was a case in point. I find myself overwhelmed with how I not only physically pulled of a new personal record in this 15K but how I have also grown mentally to handle race issues/problems that ALWAYS happen and race fatigue that always got the better of me in the past.

Two years ago, I ran this same race in 1:26 minutes - basically a 9:15 pace. I think I had just completed my first or second triathlon and some friends were doing this race so I signed up. I was pretty new into running and I had not run over 6 miles, let alone 9 miles, in years. My triathlons I had done were sprints so no long running-everything I did two years ago was short. I would do a 30 minute run here, an hour spin class there, a 15 minute 800 yard swim (???? why bother even getting in the pool), etc. I remember thinking, "I am in SUCH GREAT SHAPE!"! 9.3 miles, no problem! But, I was not in great shape (I really wasn't, in fact, I remember when I started with coach Jenny, the first thing she said to me was, "Okay, so we need to get you in shape first." I thought, ??????????). So, back to my story, I ran 6 miles the week before the race and thought I would die. I freaked. At that point, I remembering worrying about being able to finish.

Last year at the Hot Chocolate, I ran 9.3 miles in 1:16:45, with a pace of 8:15 per mile. A very good time and something I was very proud of when I finished. It was my dream time. I was gunning for it but it was something I had to work hard to get. I would have been happy with 8:20 per mile.

Goals for this race? When I sit down to write out my goals each year and for each and every race I enter, I try to to make my goals attainable but also challenging. For example, I know I am not going to win an Olympic triathlon yet or get on the podium at a large running race like the Hot Chocolate. I would set myself up for failure if I made those my goals this year. But, I also don't want to make my goals too easy because, after all, when you cross that finish line and you look back, you want to know you pushed yourself outside your limits - you want to feel that success of your hard, hard work. You do not want to feel that you settled.

I went into this race with a goal of running under 7:55 per minute miles which would be a finish time of 1:14 minutes. I thought if I could run 7:50 minute miles, that would be just freaking awesome. I allowed myself only a sliver of thought that I could actually hold sub 7:45 minute miles when a friend wrote to me about this race. My friend Heidi wrote me a message about this being my year, my race! She is a fast, fast runner so when she said this, it got me thinking..."Hey, I just ran a 6:44 5K, could I run sub 7:45?" No, no, no, no. Crazy! Sub 7:45 would have been fast in a 3.2 mile/5K race a year ago - I could not possibly hold that for 9.3 miles, no, no, no way...or could I? As I have mentioned, I have no coach right now. Had I, I think Jenny would have knocked some sense into me and told me absolutely. I have been running a TON, I have been smart. I balanced recovery runs with tempo runs and track workouts, A-LOT-OF track workouts - think 8 x 1000's, 6 x 1200's, 2 miles fast, etc. all with 2 miles warm-ups, 2 miles cool downs.

So race prep, I lost a few lbs the week or two before the race. I was close to my race weight by a pound or two! I had researched what and when people ate and decided to switch how I ate the day or two before a race. Pre-race always consisted of a fairly large dinner the night before. I decided to make breakfast the day before the race my biggest meal of the day and then have a light lunch and a very light dinner. I felt so good when I woke, not heavy. One pre-race, day before, race thing that will go? I will never take my kids to the city and walk around ALL DAYLONG at the Field museum with a BIG HUGE bag strapped to my shoulders - needless to say I had a headache and was slathered in Bengay going to bed that night - freaking that I had just ruined my chances at a good race. I was sooo sore. My shoulders ached and my calves were tired.

I was fine race morning. I LOVE Aleve!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I picked up my sister Kim, who had her own PR at yesterday's race and headed to Chicago! The place was nuts! Bag checked sucked, but whatever, we got through it and were ready to race. I missed a solid warm up with all the commotion but then the race started late and I was able to fit in about 12/15 warm up. All good. I just went with it. You can not control everything.

THE RACE:
My plan was to run the 1st mile no faster than 8:30. I hit the 1st mile marker at EXACTLY 8:30. EXACTLY. I KNEW at that moment that I was on. I KNEW I would do well. I just did not know how well... That first easy mile gave me a chance to clear my head, shake my nerves out, and calm down - when everyone around me was huffing and puffing. It gave me a chance to think about MY race and what I needed to do...take a gel 40 minutes in, think about your form - don't day dream, stay focused...

Mile 2-7, My plan was to build to a pace I could hold for the next 6 miles. Pre-race, I was focused on a number, 7:50ish, but I realized that is to much looking at a watch and really not realistic. I know some runners use pace per mile charts, etc., but for me, that does not work for long run races. For me, I need to be listening to my breathing and keeping tabs on my heat rate in order to hold a certain pace for any length of time. I did not have a heart rate monitor on. I wear one when I train but not for races. I know my HR and I know my breathing so I just trusted myself.

At mile 4 I stated to notice that I was under my predicted times and was worried I was going too fast. I know! But, I felt good, so I did not slow. I took my gel. At the 10K (6.2 miles) I was way under my predicted time. I was at 47:54 and I actually slowed up at the time clock freaking I was going too fast. I really did. But, I was feeling effortless. What was going on? Was I going to BONK and end up walking the last mile? Am I running too fast??? I don't know what to do??? I just kept running. I had a talk with myself, "Karen, sometimes you play things too conservatively, this is what is happening right now. This is not mile 4! You are IN mile 7. It is NOT time to slow down because you are worried you are going too fast." You may think this sounds nuts but mile 7, in my opinion, is really where the race starts. I have had it happen on training runs, you feel fine at mile 6.5 and THEN, all of a sudden, at mile 7.5 you are lapsing into a dreadful despair and the next 1.8 miles are the longest, most horrible miles. I did not want this to happen. WHAT DO I DO???? I stayed at my pace, in fact, I think I sped up a bit.

I stated focusing on passing OTHER runners. Up until this point, I had not done that, I had just ran focused on myself, my form, my HR, my breathing, my gels. I could not tell you who was around me. Now I focused on the people in front of me AND PASSING THEM and I focused on my time.

I had planned at mile 7 -9.3 to step it up with mile 8-9.3 being an all out sprint. My head got to me a bit here. I never slowed but I kind of played little mind tricks with myself near mile 8. I never saw the 8 mile marker. I kind of knew when I turned onto Michigan that I had less than 1 mile to go but I did not speed up because... I DID NOT SEE THE 8 MILE MARKER, so how could I speed up? It was a game, all in my mind. I was hurting and letting it get to me, not seeing the mile marker was my way not speed up. My left glute was killing, my hamstrings were burning. For the first time, my breathing was loud. I looked at my watch - I knew I easily was gong to hit my goal of under 1:14 / 7:55 per mile, couldn't I just walk a bit? It would be so nice to walk a bit. What are you thinking, Karen??? YOU ARE NOT WALKING! YOU ARE NOT SETTLING! DO NOT SETTLE! YOU WILL NOT BE HAPPY AT THE FINISH IF YOU SETTLE. 1:14 WOULD BE SETTLING AT THIS POINT. YOU WILL BE SO MAD AT YOURSELF. TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND MAKE IT HAPPEN! I totally and 100% said this to myself. I said that over and over until it became true, because at that moment, I felt I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SETTLE. I WOULD be happy with 1:14. I was so crazy and huffing and puffing...SEE???? - SUPER fine at mile 6.5, not doing so great at mile 8.

On Michigan, I saw the turn onto the dreaded HILL that led up to Columbus and the finish. I really dislike that hill. I can not believe the Chicago marathon runners run up THAT hill at mile 26! That is really an awful thing to do runners. I was going to MAKE IT HAPPEN. I sprinted up that hill. I must have passed 30 + people. I got to the top and so desperately wanted to just walk - JUST TWO STEPS. But I did not, I made it happen, I sprinted when I felt I could not. I looked at my watch and thought, I could be under 1:10! But, though the finish looked so close, it was more than a 1/4 mile away. 1:10 went by but I KNEW I passed some ladies in my age group on that sprint and I crossed the finish at 1:11:17!

I ran a 7:39 pace per mile!!! I was 25th out of 999 runners in my age group! TOP 25!!! I beat the 26th finisher by 3 seconds!!! 238th overall out of 7,775 women.

HUGE PR! Time to rest!

Runnin' Runnin' Runnin'

2011-10-16T15:52:00.001-07:00

Greetings! As I write this my lungs still ache when I breathe deeply from a 5K race this morning...

As most of you know, I finished my last triathlon of the season mid-August. Since then, my life has been jam packed with school, homework, school volunteer, the kids activities (soccer, gymnastics, tap, ballet, swim) and of course, training.

Ahh training, I don't love it, most days I do not even like it, but I love when I am done! Fitting in training/working out is a priority in my life. I find the time even if it is not convenient - even when I really, really want to be doing something else. Being a former slacker on all things exercise related, I think that is the main reason why I have been successful at regularly fitting my workouts in, 6 days a week, for almost 4 years now. I make it a priority. It will happen. And in order for it to happen I plan for it - I lay out my clothes out the night before (almost every single night), my car is always packed (swimsuits, flippers, googles, etc.), I lay out my socks and shoes, and my water bottle and my gels, and my hair bands...

So, the last two months I have been focusing on faster 5K's and 10K's just to switch it up and have some fun while building my "base" for my long run race training that starts this Saturday! 5K's fun? - well not really. They kind of sucketh when you are running so hard you feel like you are going to puke in mid run 2 miles in - Yuck. But, I LOVE the fast result and the fast, fast, fast pace throughout the run and that there really is no run strategy in a 5K other than, just run as fast, fast, fast as you can. This past weekend, my fast was a 6:44 pace!!! on a very hilly course - which included my training hill I use for hill intervals - Ouch! This last 5K was a very large race and had lots of fast runners. I ended up 8th overall woman and 1st/35 in my age group. It was my fastest 5K time ever and I felt it!!! I woke that morning with a backache and then I heard the rain come down. Not a good start. It was cold and rainy and windy and I had a headache and a backache. I drank water, gulped down some oatmeal and took in my coffee and then headed out the door at 7:15AM into the FREEZING C O L D RAIN. This was the kind of cold and rain that makes your legs cramp even after your warmed up. The kind that makes you WISH you brought arm warmers at mile 2. I could not feel my arms. The kind of rain that makes you want to turn around and go home. BUT, I RAN HARD both physically and mentally. I did not give in the temptation to stop and drink my water after running up my training hill, I did not give in the last hill when I sooooo wanted to slow down just for a second. I thought of why I was out in the horrible weather - to run as fast as I could, even when it hurt sooo bad, even when I wanted to throw up at mile 2.5. I ran faster. I sprinted even though I felt I could not, when I saw I could be under 21:00 minutes. My head took over when my body was giving up. It was awesome. This race was important. I recently stopped coaching with coach Jenny - so I could hopefully afford a new tri bike in the spring and there was a big part of me that felt lost and wondered if I could race the same. She had gotten me to a whole new level of racing, strength and speed and I wondered if I raced faster just because she was my coach. I am hopefully starting back with her in the future but this race helped my confidence and to get my groove on during the off season.

As much as I love 5K's (I could almost do them every weekend), I am ready for the longer runs. I am running the Hot Chocolate 15K in November and then....will be training for my first 1/2 Ironman next season! So, I guess it's good that I am ready for some longer runs!

Cheers!

Am I competitive?

2011-08-25T18:19:00.002-07:00

A couple weeks ago I was wondering if I was competitive. I got asked to start "competing" at swim meets with my masters swim team and I started wondering if I was even competitive, especially in regards to swimming. I then found myself looking up the definition of competitive. I mean, really, who am I kidding? I really don't think I would be competing at a swim meet. OR, would I? Would I still be competitive? Do you have to be trying for a top spot to be competitive or is it competitive to want to go and just complete the meet? ;) Here is the definition, in case you were wondering...

com·pet·i·tive /kəmˈpɛtɪtɪv/ –adjective
1.of, pertaining to, involving, or decided by competition: competitive sports; a competitive examination.
2.well suited for competition; having a feature that makes for successful competition: a competitive price.
3.having a strong desire to compete or to succeed.

A few years ago I entered some 5K run races to help prepare for my first sprint triathlon. I was not there to beat people, I was not trying to win the race, or my age group or even beat a time. I would just run the "race" just to complete the 3.1 miles and if I ended up under 30 minutes, that was good! I was pretty much happy that I just made it to the start. I had fun. Don't get me wrong, I still have fun in my races, though I sure do try a bit harder now! Back to my 5K story...I think many people in this situation would consider themselves not competitive-just a participant. And, that may be true for some that did not train for the event and just showed up the day of. BUT, I think those walkers and runners that put the effort in to prepare for this race had a strong desire to succeed - they are competitive. They wanted to succeed! Ding, ding, ding: Competitive #3! A strong desire to succeed! We have got a winner.

So, that is how I am looking at this whole swim meet thing. I put the effort in! I work hard to be a swimmer! I am competing against myself and I have a strong desire to succeed at swimming, for myself. And to succeed, I think in most instances, you need to challenge yourself, put yourself out there on that ledge and take a jump. Challenging yourself can be so scary but also so thrilling when you succeed - whether it is finishing a 5k, starting a new business endeavor or entering your very first swim meet at the age of 40. With my triathlons, I really don't race to beat other people specifically - I race to challenge myself, meet a new goal, hit a new time. Wouldn't my first swim meet be the same? Will I be scared? Hell YES!!! - Just like I was when I walked up to the start of my first triathlon 3 years ago and swore I would NEVER do another one. Look where that got me! :)

It has been awhile...

2011-08-18T19:19:00.001-07:00

I have not posted in a while. Blogging is new to me and a few months after starting up this blog, I felt I was putting too much info out there with Facebook, my blog, Athlinks, etc. Well it was really that and a nutty email from an old friend on FB but that is another story. I just felt a bit exposed and it kind of freaked me out so then I stopped before I even really started.

I have realized though, that writing about my races, my training, and all of life's in between's really helps me. It helps me stay on course. It organizes all the crazy thoughts in my head, especially around race time when I get nervous and tense. It also helps me tweak areas of a race or training I would normally forget even happened but were areas that could be improved. It is funny how you forget the bad and only remember the good! And since there are really all of 2 people reading this blog I decided to keep posting. :)

I will bullet point my last couple months.
- I completed 2 mini indoor triathlons earlier this year and ended the series in 1st place!
- I completed 2 sprint triathlons - both in the top 5%.
- I raced 2 Olympic triathlons - though I got a flat in one.
- I Qualified for USAT Nationals!
- I now do flip turns during almost 80-90% of my swim workouts!
- I have been training hard - there have been many, many days I do not want to get my workout in but I do!
- I am no longer afraid of cold water, murky water, tons of people around me, and seaweed. I am more nervous about the bike! I know!!!!! :)

My last triathlon of the season... Here is a recap:
Bangs Lake Triathlon: 1 mile swim, 24 mile bike, 6.2 mile VERY HILLY run

I wanted to PR my swim, my bike and my run by a lot. I had a feeling I could reduce my overall OLY time by 15 minutes or more BUT to do this everything needed to come together and I needed to PT each event.

Pre-race: I woke to a backache - I totally forgot about it until writing this blog! See!!! I had a major backache when I woke. Crazy. I took an Aleve and hoped it would go away. I had a lousy night of sleep so maybe that was the cause? I never get backaches.

The swim: I swam this same course last year in 41 minutes. Now, I really did not push it last year so I knew I could take a good 5 minutes off my swim time. My stroke is much more efficient and I am also a stronger swimmer. The water temp was 78 so wetsuits were legal. If they are legal - coach says wear it, so I did. Everyone was. I lined up in the middle of the pack , gun went off and I dove in and started swimming right away. It is always surprising to me how nervous I am before a triathlon and how calm I get the moment I dive into the water. It was that same way this race. While everyone is thrashing about, I always feel collected and calm. This was not the case a couple years ago so I guess that is the reason I am surprised. The seaweed was OUT OF CONTROL this year. YUCK! I took it easy out to the very first buoy - about 200 yards out I think. The water was choppy, full of seaweed (did I mention that???) and crowded. I stayed calm and just kept up. By the first buoy I felt strong and pushed. I pushed hard! Seriously hard, I was so damn hot! I have never been hot in the water but I was working it. By the turnaround, I wanted to rip my wetsuit off. 3/4 of the way all I could think was JUST SWIM FASTER, get this done with!!! I have a tendency to stop and sight several times during a race and I did this going out to the first buoy a few times (I probably wasted a good 30 seconds doing this)- I think I just did it out of habit. When I made it to the turnaround I promised myself I would not stop. It was annoying me - why was I doing this? I can sight and swim!!! What are you doing Karen??? I never stopped again. Huge - all in my mind! I was pushing so, so hard on the way back my shoulders were burning. I had intervals in my mind and I would rest for 10 seconds and then speed ahead for 200 / 300 yards or so and so on and so on, I could not wait to get out of that water! The very last couple hundred yards I actually counted my strokes and just kept my form in check (head down, arms pulling, stretching). I told myself - "don't stop until you hit 300 strokes". Running up the ramp - UNDER 31 minutes! OVER 10 MINUTES OFF MY SWIM TIME! HOLY COW! I thought my watch was wrong! Cap, goggles off. Time for business. I had a fast transition.

The Bike- Ehh. The Bangs Lake bike course is not hilly but it is not flat either. It was windy out there. I did not do poorly but I did not do great. I have a tendency to take it way too easy on the bike the last season or so and I kind of felt like this should have been faster. I think I took it too easy the first loop and should have gotten my HR up more. No, I know I should have, I knew it then. I was too conservative. I knew it but I should have listened to myself more. I think I was only upper z2 the first loop. I once told Jenny, "it's the getting to upper zone 3 and low zone 4 on the bike that are hard for me on some days. Once I get there I am fine but it is getting there that is hard some days." I was so winded coming out of that swim maybe that was the reason. I have my good days and bad days on the bike and I do not think this was one of my good days but it was not a bad day either - in between. The wind was crazy out there but still, I was no where near what I thought I would be on the bike. Don't get me wrong, I pushed hard - enough to be sore but just not hard enough. I do that. I don't know if I try to leave room for the run or if I am just unsure on the bike??? I do remember my back being sore and wanting to take another Aleve when I got back into transition (I didn't but I wanted too). I was only about 1 minute faster on the bike than last year - I was expecting at least 5 minutes faster.

Into T2: SUPER FAST! One of the fastest T2's in the race! Grab and go!

The run: HILLS! Crazy HILLS! 6.2 of up and down, up and down, up and down. When did Wauconda get hills? I forgot how many hills are on that course. It is so crazy there - did the glaciers miss this area? Everyone is dying. I wanted to run under 49 minutes. This was going to be a challenge even on a flat course coming off 24 miles. I had prepared myself. Run the first mile at a good clip but slightly easy to get my legs back. Miles 2-4 I wanted to run fast but with some room and then miles 4-5 fast high zone 4 with 5-6.2 all out. I ran the downhills fast, fast, fast. I planned ahead to look for "rabbit"s and I just kept targeting other runners ahead of me and passing them. There was one last girl at the end I just could not catch - she was a far target. I came close though! We finished no more than 5 seconds apart. I remember just being drenched in sweat that last mile - the kind of sweat that is pouring into your eyes even when wearing a visor. In fact, there are some funky pictures of me and I was wondering the other day what the heck I was doing when those photos were taken. I remember now - I was wiping my eyes with my already soaked tri shirt to get the salt sting out. My eyes wear burning. I forgot about that too! I completed the 6.2 in 49:50 seconds. I was supremely happy with that. Over 3 minutes of my run time from last year!

Enough for 3rd in my age Group! 21st woman overall. 1 very happy triathlete.

Challenges

2011-02-08T13:49:00.001-08:00

This winter has been a challenge in patience and dedication! Whew! I can not wait for spring!!! All this snow, cold temps. It is just plain hard to keep motivated but something drives me. I don't even think about my workout now until I arrive and actually start my workout. For example, who in the right minds would strap their bike to the little car, during a blizzard to get in a bike test? If I thought about it, NOT ME! My neighbors were staring at me. I got lots of comments..."so, going for a bike ride? Great weather for it!" Hee-hee. Grin and bear it and for me - just don't think. Do you know what I mean? I mean, if I really stopped to think about working out on some days, I just would not work out.

Here is what I do to prepare for computrainer class on Tuesday mornings:
Monday PM:
- layout workout clothes, bike shoes, etc.
- Pack bag w/ waterbottle, protein bar, towel, HR monitor
- Take my bike off MY trainer and bring downstairs.
- Fill up tires and clean chain, etc.
Tuesday AM (after getting Jack to school):
- Drop Jack at 8:30
- Run home and clean up house for sitter
- Strap bike carrier to car in FREEZING COLD
- Put bike on car in FREEZING COLD
- Drive to Computrainer Class
- Set up bike on trainer and calibrate to computer
- Race for 1 to 1.5 hrs
- Take bike off computrainer and restrap to car

So, as you can see, I choose not to think about the process and just do it. I also choose not to think about getting in a cold pool at 6AM on Wednesdays and Fridays - though I have to say, it is not as bad as I used to think. There is something very meditative about swimming and in the early hrs it is quite nice. And I love getting a hot cup of coffee after those swims! I still dislike having goggle marks all day long though. :)

My off season training went really well. I increased my strength training and included something called TRX which kills me but I see the benefits in my running and biking. It has been great though.

My 2011 season starts May 21st. I am doing the Galena Triathlon which I am really looking forward to. It will be a challenge for me. Early season swim in a lake (cold!) and hilly bike/run. But, that is what I want.

This Sunday I start an indoor triathlon series adn it will be both fun and painful. Since this first one is at my home club, the kids get to come and watch me which they do not see at all so that will be fun! The pain will be the all out sprint swim, bike, run. Whew! Hurts so good! :)

Hot Chocolate 15k Race Report

2010-11-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

I am always excited about racing but what makes it much more exciting is when I am completely prepared for a race and know that something seriously terrific could happen. This is what it was like yesterday for the Hot Chocolate 15k race. Of course, by my story you would have not thought I had it all together race morning to pull off a personal best...

I woke to my husband telling me it was 5:22AM and the alarm had not gone off. Arrhh! I am terrible with alarm clocks. Half the time it does not go off when I set it so luckily I have an early bird husband to get me up most of the time. I mean, what is so hard about setting an alarm clock? Seriously? Yesterday, I SET it for 5AM but DID NOT TURN IT ON??? Seriously Karen?

Okay so I still had plenty of time...The minor irritating cough I had Thursday and Friday was now a full fledged chest cold. I was not stuffed up but had a deep cough - courtesy of Lily. But WHATEVER! Screw the cold!!! My husband was worried. I told him I would be fine. I really did feel fine (today? Not so good. Full on chest cold and body rash.).

I was not picking up my girlfriend, Janice, until 6AM. I had all my gear packed. But as I started to get dressed and go through my gear one last time, I realized a key piece of my running gear was still in the washer. SERIOUSLY? 20 minutes to dry. And where are my gels??? I thought I put them in the bag last night??? Nope. Arrhhh. Anyway, finally ready to go at 5:55AM. John made my coffee to go. Wonderful. He makes me a cappuccino almost every morning. Gotta love him. Okay, game on!

I picked up Janice at 6AM. My friend Janice is a natural athlete. She was competitive swimmer in HS and college and just has a natural athletic ability with biking and running. I do envy that. I feel like I am a trained athlete. I love racing but I think I have to work extra hard to excel because I am not a naturally gifted athlete. I am not saying I am the "Rudy" of racing but you know what I mean right? So Janice, she works full time, has two kids, probably works out probably 1/4 of the time I do and still achieves amazing times.

So, Janice and I ate our peanut butter sandwiches and chatted on the way to the city. We got to the race site. FREEZING COLD!!! I did my 2 mile warm up run, ate a gel and some Gatorade and headed towards the start. Though I was pretty warm at the start, my toes were frozen and my right foot was cramping up from the cold. I am not a cold weather runner!!! I hate running in the cold. I had throw away clothes on and ditched them right before the race. Brrr! Ready to rock.

My race plan, to start easssyyyy - 8:30 pace or slower! I have never used a Garmin for pacing help but I was so close to buying one before the race. I was concerned that I have not learned to pace well yet. BUT, my first mile showed that I could - 8:45 pace right on! I have to say, it is hard to hold back in longer races like this. It is intimidating to me to go slow in the beginning because you are being passed by sooo many people and some have that look on their faces like "WTH are you doing with the 8 miles runners? Get out of my way!" They really do!

Okay, so, Mile 2. My plan was to build to a pace I could hold for 5 or 6 miles. Mile 2 was an 8:35 pace. Good... Building...Good. It was crowded and hard to pick up the pace but now it was time to pick it up and pass. I wish run races were like bike races...you know, "on your left"! But they are not-probably because of all the head phones. So now I am passing all the people who passed me. I have to pass them on the grass, curb, etc. , sucky!

Mile 3, 4,5, 6, I was going strong and fast. Coach Jenny and I had talked about running a fast pace but a pace that I could hold for 5 or 6 miles. I have no idea what my pace was exactly but I knew I was where I needed to be. It is strange. I had no "split" on my watch to keep track of each mile, no Garmin but I just knew the pace I was running would get me to my secret goal. I was not worried. THAT, for me, is worth every coaching penny. So, we were running on gravel with lots of big rocks at this point so I was nervous about tripping. I would try to run on the grass to get around people and that had deep grooves. Kind of tough but still holding speed. I took a gel. I wanted to have all the energy I could for the last 2 miles. At mile 6, frankly, I was getting a little bored was starting to get irritated - a sure sign I was starting to really push myself. I was getting frustrated by the crowded path and I heard the sound of loose change jingling in some guy's pocket. IT WAS DRIVING ME NUTS! Dude!!! Get rid of the change? WHY ARE YOU RUNNING WITH LOOSE CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I put my head down and ran away from the sound. I told myself to focus.

"Just a 5K left" you can do it - 3.3 miles left. I started to eye chunks of people and pass them. Mile 7.5 I picked up the pace. Then, I eyed a guy running my pace and used him as a rabbit. He had a bright shirt on and was an easy target. Mile 8, I was starting to feel fatigued. We were running by McCormick place. The finish seemed so far away and it started to eat at me and then I thought of coach Jenny, "you can do anything for 20 minutes" I can! I had LESS than 20 minutes, get your head on Karen! I thought to myself, "every second counts Karen". For some reason that drives me. I started saying out loud, "You can do this! I looked at my watch and picked it up. I ran fast. I felt new energy, I was passing people. It is amazing is it? Mind over matter. Terrific. I had prepared myself for that moment. I had told myself what I would say to myself at that moment and it worked.

It was right around mile 8.8 that was REALLY HURTING. OMG, I AM DYING! In a mass of people rounding the aquarium I lost my rabbit. I seriously almost lost it! I was so mad! He was getting away! I was getting trapped by people. AND THEN, the smell of dead fish. This is when my mental toughness disappeared. I had that feeling...I was going to throw up and at that same time, there was a hill approaching - the hill that took you to Columbus St. - to the finish. The only thing keeping me together were the picture guys! That right! I wanted to look gooooood in my picture! But then, my pace slowed, I was giving in and could not control it. I felt horrible. But at the top of the hill was a crowd! There had been no crowds up until this point and it was just what I needed. I got up that hill and looked far into the horizon at the far, far, far, far, far away FINISH sign. Bummer. It was so far away. Did I mention that? Terrible. My legs could not run faster, I felt slow. I was seriously thinking about stopping. I really wanted to stop just for a second. And then something great happened. There was a lady in front of me that had to be 50+ wearing the craziest circa 1980's running outfit and I thought, "I can not believe this woman is IN FRONT OF ME!!!" It really is funny what motivates at that moment. If that lady had not been in front of me I think I would have been a pathetic mess but instead I dug out any remaining energy and turned my feet over as fast as I possibly could. I remember feeling like I was going to fall I was running so fast. I looked at my watch, oh boy, 1:16:15! I HAD to be under 1:17!!! I JUST wanted to be under 1:17! COME ON!!!!!!!!

Finish time: 1:16:45 Pace: 8:15 per mile!
My secret goal was 8:15. I was thinking under 8:20 but I really wanted 8:15. :)