Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle

Happy Halloween!  I saw a lot of people dressed as Party Rock characters this weekend and was thoroughly impressed with the costumes.  This is definitely one of my favorite songs these days and it is impossible for me not to "wiggle" when I hear it.  It's not a surprise that this song is on my pre-race playlist.  I expect it to lessen the gigantic knot in my stomach around 5:30am that morning.  I'm also really hoping to see someone dressed as one of these guys out on the course!  In case you aren't one of the 72 million who have already watched the video, enjoy this treat!

Last Chance Workout

Today's agenda only had one thing on it.  Ride 100 miles.


Silverado Trail in Napa is the perfect place for such a task -- it's 27 miles each way with only one stop sign.  Ride it twice and mission is accomplished.  Plus, it's relatively flat and is the closest thing we have around here to the Beeline Hwy.


I wasn't with it this morning.  I didn't sleep enough and I was unorganized.  I I wasn't prepared for the 42 degree weather (shorts, fingerless gloves, but thankfully I had a windbreaker). When Sedonia randomly mentioned something about watching the Biggest Loser, I yelled just like Bob Harper, "Last chance workout!" and it lifted my spirits a little.  Even though we have plenty more workouts over the next three weeks, this is our last big one.  


The first few miles were brutally cold.  I just kept telling myself to ride toward the sunshine and eventually I would get there.  Maybe after 25 minutes I was finally in the sun and the fingers defrosted a little.  


I really just wanted to concentrate on pushing through those headwinds that find their home on the Silverado.  The wind changed every which way in both directions.  I cranked it and I felt pretty good about it.  I have never spent this much time in my aerobars.  At one point, I sat up and looked around and I think my heart skipped a beat because it was just so dang beautiful out.  I had been so incredibly focused on what I was doing that I never bothered to look around.  I promised myself I would stop and take a picture when I rode past it the second time around.  Unfortunately, these pics don't even give the vineyards justice.  Despite the beauty, it really stunk up there today.  It's harvest season and all the grapes are being crushed and beginning their fermenting process -- yeast and alcohol stench everywhere.

I wanted to finished the ride in 7 hours and I made it with 4 minutes to spare.  I'm looking for a 7:30 bike time in Arizona and briefly freaked out about how I am going to come up with 12 more miles in 34 minutes.  But there are volunteers and other luxuries on race day that help speed things along, which I will be counting on.


Anyway, when it was all over, we headed back north to St. Helena to hit up Taylor's Refresher (now called Gott's Roadside due to a quarrel over royalties).  I am a pretty big fan of Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and this is one I have been wanting to check out.  Despite not being a diner, a drive-in, or a dive (I guess it's more like a roadside stand) the food was delicious.  And, even though I have pretty much cut dairy out of my diet, I thoroughly enjoyed this chocolate shake.

Bad Timing

I'm writing two posts today.  My mind is consumed with how difficult the last few weeks have been and what is about to come.   

A little background...

I truly enjoy my job.  I work for a great company.  I'm challenged. I'm rewarded.  I'm valued.  And, I even like my boss.  As a consultant, it's almost like I start a new job every year -- new project, new people, new experiences, and a new place.  I travel to the wherever the client is located and get to work from home 40-50 percent of the time.  I do project work and there is a general lifecycle to every project that ebbs and flows -- requirements gathering, blueprinting, realization, testing, training, data conversion, go-live (flip the switch).  Sometimes I work 35 hours.  Sometimes I work 50 hours.  "Enjoy the valleys.  Manage the peaks."  These projects generally have defined boundaries, which prevents scope creep and allows us to deliver on time and within budget with the estimated resources.  And, it's understood that during the conversion/go-live phase of the project, we work weekends and very long days.  It's not that I don't have work/life balance.  It just comes with the territory of the type of work I do.  And, it's actually kind of fun for two weeks (because I get to see all my work come to fruition).  

Over a year ago, I was placed on a project in Los Angeles.  They are a government contractor (deep pockets despite strict budgets).  Prior to this client, when people asked if I would do Ironman, I had thought about it, but figured that I would not be set up for success with the amount of traveling that comes with it.  However, when this project started in LA, the possibility opened up -- short flight, only have to travel every other week, and an implementation in July.  That would still give me four months until the event.  So I drank the Koolaid.

Alas, nothing ever goes according to plan...

Enter government contractor.  This project has turned into a snowball rolling down hill during a blizzard.  It grew and it grew and it grew.  A co-worker said it best, "It's like we bought a sideview mirror [the piece I'm responsible for], but now we need a car to put it on."  So we went to the junkyard and found a bunch of pieces of a car to put together to hang this little sideview mirror on. Besides trying to attach a mirror to a car that doesn't exist, the customers get whatever they want.  I have rarely heard "no" been said.  Squeaky wheels get the grease.  And, even I have succumbed.  I said to someone recently, "I'm spending more time arguing with you why this isn't a good idea, then just doing it.  So I'll just do it."  

By April, we decided it would take until the beginning of October to get the car started.  When September came, they decided Halloween would be better.  I didn't know how I would handle all of the work that goes into a project and PEAK training month.  There was an expectation that we would be in LA M-F, every week, and needed to support weekend work to make it happen.  I asked for permission to go home on Thursdays and pushed back on the weekend work, due to training.  Thankfully, they obliged (again, the project people are great).  

Then they decided Nov 7 would be a better date.  And, yesterday, it was determined that it would now be Nov. 14 (six days before Ironman).  Imagine all the noise in my head right now....all the thoughts swirling around.  Sure, we are tapering in November, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be preparing in other ways.  I have so much work to do to "quiet" my mind over the next few weeks.  Yesterday, we discussed about me being there for the implementation and going home on Tuesday night (because we leave for Arizona on Wednesday).  To an outsider, that sounds like a great plan.  Sure, it's only an hour flight.  But, I think any veteran would agree, it's not an ideal situation.  Even Nick, a man not of many words, said to me last night, "I don't envy the position you're in right now."  Agree.  Neither do I.   

That Running Thing

"Oh, hey, when is your running thing?"


"Did you do your marathon yet?  When is that coming up?"


"Aren't you doing a triathlon or something like that?"


I can't tell you when I first learned what an Ironman was, but I know I've known about it and what it was since my ASU days.  I paid no attention to it and didn't have a clue about the sport.  But I knew it was a really long swim, something around 100 miles on the bike, and then a marathon.   


Since my motivations for this are more of a mental undertaking rather than physical, I don't bother to correct the person that made small talk with me in the elevator or the hallway.  However, this video sums it up very well.  Plus, it features some age-groupers and not just the pros.

It's the Blob!

I like to take my bike food out of the original packaging and put them in a baggie in my Bento.  1) I can maintain my cadence if I'm not fiddling around trying to open a package; and 2) I can mix it up so I have variety instead of overdosing on pomegranate something or other flavor.  


One of my teammates told me she cuts up her Power Bar and puts the pieces in her bag with all her other goodies.  I thought that was a great idea since I either tear too much or don't tear enough and struggle to keep my bike pocket protected from the half-eaten bar.  So the other night I cut mine into bite size pieces and threw it in a baggie with the other stuff.  


Apparently, her Power Bar is not the Berry Smoothie flavor.  In less than two hours on the bike, it turned into a gooey gobby mess and swallowed the gels right up, permanently cementing them in a berry asphalt.

Grape Stomp

My first Half Marathon is finally complete!  By this point in the training game, most people are running 18.  I'm only at 13.1.  But I will take it.  My run has been hindered with my foot injury, but I couldn't have asked for a better day.  There was no time goal.  I was under strict orders that the objective of the day was to nail down a walk plan.  


I ran the first mile as warm up and then started my walking plan.  The bad news is that I actually did the subsequent miles faster than my warmup where I ran the entire mile (basically my run/walk is faster than just my run...or should I say shuffle).  The silver lining is that I'm planning on doing a lot of walking so that works out pretty nicely.  The first 6 miles were through a neighborhood trail/running path in a residential area.  I kept myself paced with two girls that I named "pink and white twins" (they matched head to toe including their anklet tattoos) and with "yellow shirt" girl.  I found myself slowing down between mile 4 and 5, but got a second wind around mile 6 (I told myself I was just starting a new 10K) where Yellow Shirt came back in to view.  The next 7 miles were through the vineyards.  It was an absolutely beautiful day.  I did not have my phone with me, but Jen, a former teammate training for the NYC marathon, brought hers so these are her pics that she sent me afterward.    

I ran into Jen between mile 7 and 8 and she walked with me for a little bit.  Around that time I lost sight of the twins, but Yellow Shirt was still in range (although the gap was growing).  When I got to the aid station around the 8.5 mark, Yellow Shirt was coming toward me.  She smiled and told me I was almost there.  I got excited that it was time to turn around.  Except it wasn't.  I kept going and going (or so it felt).  I finally saw the twins coming back and realized Yellow Shirt made a mistake and turned around at the aid station instead of the turnaround.  That half a mile felt like two.  I've heard signs play tricks on you.  I already know there is a "Mile 8" marker right outside of T2 on the IMAZ course, marking the second loop (and not the first).  This is one of the unfortunate downfalls of loops (the upside being spectator-friendly).


Since I was treating this as a training day, I went on my own.  But, Jen was waiting for me at the finish line which was an awesome surprise. 

What's the biggest downfall to being at the back of the pack?  The 5Kers and 10Kers ate all the food!  They ran out of water at the finish.  And, they ran out of medals!  I finished in 3:17 with a purposeful walk.  My mental state was good the entire time and I was physically capable of doing more.  Most importantly, it gave me the confidence I was looking for in wondering if I could do twice the distance on tired legs, which will hurt like hell, but is feasible (as long as I have a whole lot of obnoxious cheering from my friends and family). 

How Far We've Come

Yesterday, I did not have the day I was planning or hoping for.  We had a 65 mile ride on the calendar and coordinated a ride from Benecia out to the Jelly Belly Factory near Fairfield.  However, on Friday night, I started experiencing a lot of knee pain.  I get lots of aches and pains that come and go with training, but I could tell this was different.  I didn't say anything about it thinking it was nothing.  By 10pm, it hadn't subsided.  Nick assessed the type of pain and told me it was probably my IT Band.  I immediately got on the roller and it was excruciating.  I woke up on Saturday morning still in pain.  Knowing I had a Half Marathon on Sunday, I opted out of the Jelly Belly ride.  I stretched and rolled until it started to feel better and headed out for a 45 mile ride from the house on my own.  

Holy Headwind!  Once I got out to the "rural" part of the ride, there were so many cyclists out from the Meals on Wheels fundraising ride.  And they were grunting and groaning through that wind.  I didn't feel so bad anymore because I could share my pain with 200 other cyclists out there.  Unfortunately, the wind makes the knees work even harder.  So I cut my ride short and headed home getting only 20 miles in for the day. 

So windy that this "out of service" windmill was actually turning!

Although I didn't have the day I wanted, it was a time of reflection.  In February of 2010, long before I was ever training for anything, I did that same 20 mile route with a few friends.  I remember yelling to Nick way in front of me, "I thought you said this flat!"  And, I had to stop at the water tower around mile 8 "to rest" for a few minutes.  Note: it's only 200 ft of climbing.  Yes, I'd now agree that's "flat"!

So despite cutting my ride short (although I did end up getting a last minute massage to work out the IT Band issue and got taped up), I couldn't help but think about how far I've come.  Which is why I have this song on the pre-race list.

One Month Countdown

It's October 20.  Officially one month away!  Bid numbers are out and I'm #345. Seeing the list was a dose of reality.  But, I like that the girls got the low numbers this year.  I admit that I'm started to get excited even though I wish there was more time to prepare.  I'm ready to be done.  Training for over 12 months is much too long.  But, then again, training for Ironman without a base isn't exactly the best idea either, which is why I chose a 12 month plan.  I suppose you can always wish for more time whether you are taking an exam, or having a baby, or implementing a big project at work, or hosting some grand gala.....Anything you spend hours and hours preparing for....


Since we are only one month out, it was time to finally sit down and put together my pre-race list.  While I can't have music during the race, I can at least get myself calm and relaxed and excited listening to music beforehand -- setting up transition and waiting in that very long port-o-potty line with 2800 other people all needing to take nervous poops.


I thought I would share the one song on my playlist that I bet a good 500 other people will have on theirs come Nov 20...

Feed Me Seymour

I find it difficult to eat after a long ride.  I burned nearly 5000 calories on Saturday, but could barely eat afterward.  Our awesome volunteers ordered Zachary's, and had pizza waiting for us.  I ate a little bit, but couldn't stomach much.  Plus, from not being able to get enough liquids in me that day, I felt like it was cardboard. 

A couple hours later, I was finally ready to eat.  I ate maybe a third of my dinner.  Just couldn't process anything else.  

However, Sunday, was a different story.  I woke up starving.  I had my breakfast and we went for a swim at Del Valle.  I felt like a log, but it was extremely therapeutic.  The cold water felt so good on my overheating body.  I was thinking about how I just had to keep going despite how crappy my swim felt --> which made me think I would be feeling the same way during the race --> which immediately put a knot in my stomach --> which got me thinking about how the swim causes so much anxiety, yet it is the shortest part of the day --> which I then reminded myself that any minutes you lose in the swim you can generally make up with a faster transition --> which means it is super silly to have any anxiety over the swim!  But, I digress...back to food.  After the swim, I snacked on a banana and drank the chocolate milk I was supposed to have as my recovery drink on Saturday.

By 11:30, it was time to eat again.  I downed some Tom Yum soup, a veggie spring roll, and some yellow curry with brown rice.  By 2:30, I thought I was going to eat my arm and finished the rest of my lunch.  And, by 5pm I was  eating this amazing turkey for my sister's birthday that had been in the smoker since 5am that morning.  Turkey, some potatoes, and two helpings of salad loaded with avocado.  I figured I was set for the day.  But around 8pm, I stopped by my mom's house (to visit and not to eat).  But then I was hungry again.  She had leftover BBQ pork chops still sitting on the counter.  So I ate some of that, too!   


Awhile ago I made a comment about after Ironman and Nick asked, "Do you honestly think you eat more now than you did before?"  I had to think about it.  And the answer is not really (which is why I was probably over-caloried for the past few years and am now under-caloried according to several nutrition plans).  But the major difference between last year and this year is that when it's time to eat, I must eat.  Right.  Now.  

Slow Twitch

Yesterday, was our triple brick workout for the IMAZ crew.  I've heard that triple brick is more of an old school IM training event and not too many plans have it in their calendar anymore.  Although it may not be necessary, there is definitely a benefit from the mental toughness, pacing, and patience point of view.  So we asked to put one on the calendar and since this is such a big training day, we coordinated doing our workouts together so we could recruit a bunch of volunteers to help us out (who were absolutely phenomenal).  

Wearing the Ironteam jersey since I knew many
teammates would be joining us for the special occasion.

The route we picked is just under a 30 mile loop that has some long steady inclines, but no pitchy climbs, and a good amount of headwind in the afternoon.  I rode most of the first loop by myself.  I was working harder than I was supposed to, but I attributed that to needing to warm up.  On the downhill coming back, there was a radar speed limit sign on the road that clocked me at 29mph.  I decided I would use that as my barometer for the day.

Since I need to maintain a 17 min mile for walking in Arizona, I practiced my walk for the next hour and managed to maintain a walk speed under that.  

Sedonia rode the second loop with me.  I have found it a real treat to ride with people that aren't training for a specific event because they ride at my pace since they don't need to be worrying about their own training.  My training plan was to ride this loop faster than the first (higher heart rate) and I felt pretty good.  The only problem was I just couldn't hydrate enough.  I did go faster, but the headwinds had picked up so it took me an extra 3 minutes to get back.  This time, the radar sign on the downhill had me at 24mph.  


I was making it a point to really work on my nutrition again and was feeling good.  Starting the second run, I was hungry, which means I didn't take in enough that round, so I took half a PB&J sandwich with me.  

With a mouthful

For the the last loop, I was lucky enough to have Kristie and Dana come ride with me.  

Surprisingly, I felt really good going out on this loop as well.  I still had trouble hydrating.  I had finished all my water at mile 15.  I still had some of my energy drink left, but, in general, I just couldn't get enough liquids in me.  All I kept thinking about on the 3rd loop was the wind I was going to have to deal with.  This time my self-proclaimed barometer had me at 19mph.  I pedaled just as hard all three times in that same stretch, but that wind took 10mph off on a downhill!  This loop took me 20 minutes longer than the first. 


When we rolled back to the park, there was even a guest appearance from Coach Dave and his wife, Norma.  I told him I wanted to run the last leg.  He recommended a run/walk plan that worked out really well.  


The whole day ended up taking 9.5 hours.  I was hot, overheated, dehydrated, had to take an ice bath, and am still feeling the effects of 90 miles in the saddle "down under," but I was positive.  When Tammy asked why I was so cheery during the 3rd run, I said, "because it's almost over."  And, if I had to, I could have gone out and ridden that loop again.  This weekend, was proof that while I finished 30 minutes after the others, my endurance is there.  If my race day is anything like both of my double and triple bricks have been this year, then that's a really good thing -- consistent, steady, and paced.  Slow twitch.  

Reflections on the World Championship

On Saturday, I spent several hours watching the 2011 Ironman World Championship. Both the men's and women's races were exciting.  And, after watching the pros win their titles, I came back awhile later to watch some acquaintances and friends of friends cross the finish line.  My general takeaways from the day:

• Obviously to qualify for the event you have to be really really really good (or get a lottery slot). Over HALF the field was cleared in under 11 hours!  The pros can do what they do because training is their job.  But all these age groupers who came in during the nine to eleven-hour range is just insane.  It's awesome.  But it's insane.  And, I'll admit, a little depressing.
• Most of the pro men are extremely attractive.  Unfortunately, most of the pro women are not.  Last summer I was on a flight with Meredith Kessler, and she was commenting how the pro women all look like men while they are racing.  She said she makes it a point to paint her nails red before every race because she needs something to feel like a woman.  I get that. 
• Since the pros are outside all of the time, they are quite leathery.  My fair skin struggles with the sun every weekend.  No matter how much sunscreen and lip balm I apply and re-apply, my cheeks and nose are red and my lips slightly burned every Saturday and Sunday.  And, the Speedo lines, bike shorts, bike jersey, tri top, and the sock tan I'm sporting is super sexy.
• The people who finished in Kona in what I suspect my time range will be in Arizona were 70+.  I'm planning to find myself a grandma to walk with on that run course.  I tracked Lew Hollander.  He was featured in the 2010 Ironman documentary.  This guy is 81 and swears the baked potato he puts in his special needs bag is what gets him to the finish line.  He says he plans to live to be over 100 and will keep coming back every year until he can't finish.  I looked up his times and we are pretty similar in all the areas.  Nick told me that when things get hard in Arizona, to remind myself that three 80+ year olds crossed the finish line in Kona.  I'll be thinking of Lew.  And wondering if I should have put a potato in my special needs...

Tackling Del Valle

Cold mornings are back.  Even though the water is still warm, it's time to start training with the wetsuit again.  Yesterday, we met at Lake Del Valle for a swim, a ride, and a short run.  I really like Lake Del Valle and even though it's relatively close, I still feel like it's WAY out there.

Four of us met up for the swim.  Nate and Nick are the fasties so they swam off together.  Phil and I generally keep up with each other until I get caught in the weeds and reeds and start yelling profanities of the sort while random fisherman shake their heads at the crazy girl in the water.  Other than the weeds and a lovely wetsuit hickey right where you'd expect to find one planted on a teenager loitering around Arizona Mills Mall, I had a really good swim.  

Sun coming up over Lake Del Valle

After the swim, we headed out for the bike ride.  Del Valle Road is one bigass climb straight out of the gate.  Seriously, every time we ride out of Del Valle, I am in my little ring while still in the parking lot!  My goal was to get to the summit without stopping.  Finally!  I rode by myself the whole ride and just enjoyed my day.  We rode out to Sunol and turned around at the little store we have coined "the Coca Cola water stop" (where we had to stop and get Coke after our miserable ride to Tracy).  

Luckily, nobody needed any Coke on this ride.  I replenished my water and headed back. The downside to this route, is that it is that it is uphill the entire way back.  And then you have to face that climb again.  

One of the things I was working on yesterday was taking in more calories than usual.  Recognizing I don't take in enough, I am hoping I nailed down my nutrition yesterday with how much I need per hour and really made a concentrated effort to take in calories every 10 minutes, which I think worked.  

Start of Del Valle Rd

I was trying hard so hard to make it to the top of Del Valle Rd again without stopping on the way back, but my sunscreen won out.  When I pretty much had both my eyes closed from the stinging of the sunscreen running into my eyes, I had to stop to wipe them.  During my climb up at whopping 3.7mph I got to enjoy a group of four skateboarders hauling ass down the road in their V formation.  A car would follow closely behind them and take them back up to to the top.  I got to watch them descend Del Valle Rd three times while I climbed up.  When I got to the top they said, "You made it!  We cheat.  We have a car that drives us back up!"

Once I pulled back into the park, I did a very short brick run and I don't think my legs ever felt so jello-y before.  After just finishing a climb like that only five minutes prior, my glutes and hamstrings were trashed.  But when it was all over, I ran into the lake.  I'm sure the kids were wondering about what the strange girl in all her clothes was doing in the water, but it felt wonderful!  And, I kept repeating Ice Cube in my head, "Today was a good day"

So inviting....

FW: Thoughts for the week

This is a forward of an email I received from my manager yesterday:

I love this kind of stuff as gentle reminders/nudges/pushes, etc. to reiterate things I already know, but lose sight of from time to time.  It's applicable to the obstacles I am currently challenged with at work right now.  But, of course, it's extremely applicable to my training and moving closer and closer to the left.  I wanted to share because I'm sure most people would agree that it's applicable to almost everything in each and every one of our lives.  

San Diego-Go-Go

Last week we flew to San Diego for a mini vacation.  One of my friends was getting married in Del Mar and we decided to play tourist for a few days.  I joked that we got a lot of exercise in last week, but not much training so to speak.  We took Thursday as our "recovery" day and spent six hours walking up and down the hills of the San Diego Zoo.  We were supposed to go out that night with the bride and groom, but I was exhausted and my foot wasn't feeling so great so we stayed in.

I probably spent the most time watching the gorillas interact.
This was a little toddler who was definitely not shy!

On Friday, we had a bike ride planned.  I tried to find a proper bike shop to rent bikes from, but the only places I could find to rent from were more like recreational bike and kayak type shops.  So we reserved bikes online.  I am in between a 44 and a 48 and the smallest they had was a 49, but I figured that would be ok with some adjustments.  Not the case.  I was hurting in places a girl should not hurt.  And, this was not normal saddle pain.  After only one hour, we turned around.  When we returned the bikes, some guy came up to us and told me how he got the bikes ready for us and wanted to see if they were ok.  I commented that it was very uncomfortable and then he told me I was riding a 52!  Well no wonder why that ride sucked.  And, where was he when we were trying to get someone's attention earlier????  Anyway, it was water under the bridge and I told Nick that we basically just did an hour workout instead of getting in a good ride.  As my coach reminded me last night, "it was maintenance."


The shortened bike ride, opened up our day.  After a delicious unplanned lunch at my favorite SD restaurant, we decided to spend the afternoon at Sea World, with my lifetime friend and her two daughters.  I was a giddy school girl around the seals and sea lions.  

Aint too proud to beg

But these two were just as giddy as I was!

On Saturday, we went trail running.  On the way to the park, we noticed the Road Runner's corporate headquarters off the freeway and stopped there on the way home.  I was fitted for shoes biomechanically about 2 years ago, but since I have such foot problems these days, I wanted to get fitted again.  The store had about 14 treadmills in the middle of the store with video cameras on each device and special machines and balance stations to create custom orthotics.  They recommended three different shoes for me (one of which included my current shoe thank goodness).  In the end, I did get some custom orthotics and went with a different shoe that is slightly more narrow than my current running shoe.  


I am slightly hopeful that a different fit and the custom orthortics will be helpful.  But, last night I met with my coach and we discussed the need to really learn how to start walking.  He said it is time to get my head and my body (arm swing, cadence, etc.) prepared for walking most of it.  He really has scaled back my running workouts because he does not want me to injure myself.  I am feeling extremely inadequate with the low mileage I am getting in, but that's why he's a Level II certified coach and I am not.  He wants to protect the potential we have in my left foot rather than blowing it on training.  So I am slowly letting go of what I *think* I should be doing and subsequently feeling guilty about what I'm not doing, and instead accepting that these baby workouts will eventually pay off in only 49 days!  *gulp*