Week 1 – NYC Marathon Training

It’s true. Last week was my first week of marathon training.

My new mizunos! aka the same shoes Wendy Davis
wore on that infamous day. aka my filibuster sneaks.
(I didn't realize they were the same ones she wore
until Keith pointed it out after I bought them).

To answer the question that my mom/boss/friends/accountant have asked, “You don’t have a break between tri training and marathon training?” Nope.

When I signed up for the triathlon back in January, I figured my running fitness would be in good shape by July. I guessed that moving right into marathon training would be no problem.

I didn’t anticipate that I would be sidelined most of the spring by an injury I’m not going to talk about anymore. It’s brushed under the rug, just like the hours I wasted watching the Newsroom.

So when I started putting together my training plan for the NYC marathon, I was nowhere near the mileage that Hal Higdon or Runner’s World recommend you start at if you’re an “intermediate” runner. I was a little discouraged, not to mention unsure if I would be in good enough shape to do the marathon.

Then I decided to look back at what I did in 2011 and 2012 for training. I used the most basic of basic marathon training plans for the 2011 Cape Cod marathon. It was totally manageable, with no long run lasting more than 18 miles. And guess what? I finished that marathon with a huge smile on my face.

In 2012, I designed a pretty aggressive marathon training plan. I started off wanting to beat the 4-hour time mark, and felt fairly confident I could get there. But then I got injured, and I had to really dial it back. I had to re-assess my goals for the marathon, and realistically kiss that 4-hour mark goodbye.

But you know what? I PR’d by 23 minutes in Philadelphia. And that is something to be proud of.

For my NYC marathon training plan, I’m taking some advice from my past self. I’m going to train for my current ability, not where I thought I would be at this point. I’m taking it slow, and really enjoying each run. I guess this is sort of cliché running blog chatter, but for me, it really feels true.

I’m not going into the NYC marathon with a time goal (!!!).

There’s a huge part of me that wants to get under that 4 hour time threshold. I would be lying if I said I didn’t. But if I can learn anything from last year’s experience, having a time goal made running NOT fun for me. And while I had a super secret goal of beating 3 hours for the NYC tri, when I was doing the race I was completely clueless as to what my time would be. I had no watch during the swim or my transitions, and I started my run watch too late. My time came as a complete surprise. That surprise factor made me enjoy the race so much more.

So what was Week 1 of NYC Marathon Training like? Let me spit some numbers at ya.

Monday: REST from the tri (went to the pool and got a pedi with Meggie instead)

Tuesday: 3 Miles, Easy

Wednesday:  3.5 Miles, Easy

Thursday: Yoga

Friday: 3 Miles

Saturday: 6 Miles

Sunday: Bike and Strength Training

Total Miles: 15.5

I took my paces pretty easy this week. I wanted to just enjoy running, and get used to the 4-day training week. I felt really good, and I was SO happy to get back into it.

As much as I loved the experience of the tri, I was secretly thrilled not to have to pack a heavy gym bag and squeeze into a wetsuit last week. Being able to just lace up my sneakers and go is one of the many reasons why I love running.

I was also thrilled to be able to fit yoga into my workout regiment last week. I literally haven’t been to yoga in FOREVER. I wanted to re-align my chi and do some uncomfortable stretching.

I checked out Yoga to the People in Brooklyn, which is a donation-based yoga studio (they recommend a $10 donation, but you can pay less or more based on your bank account). It’s a no-frills studio, which meant no AC. I’m really happy I brought a towel, since on Thursday it was about 100 degrees. It didn’t stop me receiving judgey stares from my neighbors because of the disgusting amount I was sweating. I SWEAT OKAY? It’s normal. You are a freak of nature if you aren’t sweating in a 90 degree studio while trying to balance in Warrior 2.

It felt SO so good to do yoga again. I stopped doing it because it always gave me back pain. But at the end of this class, I felt great (then quickly ducked out so the girl next to me couldn’t see my sweaty face. She was secretly shaming me). But I really hope to continue incorporating it into my training, since other running blogs swear by it.

My "long run" on Saturday was not as painful as I thought it would be. I only had 6 miles to do, and I made sure to wake up early to beat the heat. The sky decided to be kind, and I had cloud cover for the majority of the run. I took my usual long run path over the Williamsburg Bridge, which I haven't done in a hot minute. I huffed and puffed up the hills just as I expected to. I took walk breaks when I needed them. I wasn't in a rush. I was just enjoying myself.

I’m excited for another week of low-pressure running. Just me, my filibuster sneakers and I.

With One Week to go…

I’ve been training for 19 weeks for the New York City Triathlon.

It's been a journey from being cold and sad...

To feeling strong and happy! (and warm)

When I signed up for the triathlon in January, I was hopelessly naïve and had absolutely no clue what I was getting myself into. I’ll admit I was even a little over-confident about the whole thing. I had run two marathons already – a triathlon would be easy in comparison.

I was also looking for a new adventure, something to get me out of my comfort zone. I wanted to do something that didn’t just benefit me, but other people who were in real need of help.

I definitely feel like I am about to achieve something bigger than myself this weekend, but I was 100% wrong about thinking the training would be easy. It was really hard.

I don’t say this to elicit sympathy from anyone, but rather to remind myself that training for any race is supposed to be difficult. It requires a little sacrifice, a bit of discipline and a lot of sleep. While I think that having experience in endurance running helped me, it didn’t prepare me much for the swimming and biking portions of the training. I had to work really hard to build up my endurance for both.

I remember the first weekend I had my road bike – I felt like I was flying. My new baby was so shiny and fast. I ended up doing a ton of mileage at a Saturday morning practice, more than I had ever done, and realized about ¾ of the way through that I was dog tired. I slowly made my way back to my apartment after practice, and was convinced that if my couch was a foot further away from my door, I would have collapsed on my floor instead. My right knee ached, and I slept for about 2 hours afterwards. I learned that day to respect the sport, and respect your ability level.

Showing some love and respect for my bike.
I did not collapse after this practice I will have you know.

I remember the stretch of weeks when I loathed going to the pool on my own. I would mumble curse words to myself on early Thursday mornings when I had to slip into my tight swimsuit, share a lane with another crazy New Yorker, and blow dry my hair in an insanely hot gym while sweat poured down my face. This SUCKS.  I couldn’t find anything positive about my solo swim practices. I wasn’t very good, I didn’t feel myself improving, and I couldn’t shake my frustration.

Then at some point, I started to KIND OF enjoy it. I started passing people at the group swim practices that I attended religiously. I patted myself on the back when I finished a set of long sprints and didn’t feel like dying. I successfully finished an open water swim and didn’t die. I learned that not everything is supposed to come easy or be fun. Sometimes you have to really work at it, and believe that it will pay off in the end. 

I'm smiling! Even though I'm about to swim!

I remember when I was cursing my body for not cooperating when I was recovering from injury. This was especially frustrating because while I might not be very good at swimming or biking, I felt like I was kind of good at running. I couldn’t do it as much as I wanted to, which I felt would have lifted up my spirits. I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to complete the race.

Finally, my injury let up, after some aggressive physical therapy and foam rolling. As I slowly built up my endurance, I savored every step. It felt amazing to be able to do the one sport that I feel most confident about.

Last Tuesday, I finally made it to a group run, which I had avoided all season because it is inconvenient for me to get to (plus, I really enjoy running alone! Not ashamed of it one bit). We were told to do mile repeats, but I just ran at a steady pace because I didn’t want to risk hurting anything. I let people pass me, and focused on my steady breathing. I felt strong, even if I wasn’t going as fast as everyone else.

After practice, I was talking to some fellow teammates, and we were sharing how we felt about the upcoming race. I said how I felt most confident about running, since I have done several races in the past. One girl, whom I had never met before said, “Oh you’ll be fine on the run. You looked so strong out there!”  It was such a small comment, but really boosted my confidence. Even if you’re not running as fast as everyone else, if you feel strong, chances are, you’ll look strong to other people too.

SO PLEASED TO BE RUNNING.

When I first signed up for this triathlon, I was most nervous about getting to my fundraising goal. I know asking people to donate their hard-earned dollars to my race is a bit of an imposition, but I hoped I would get close enough so I didn’t have to pay for the difference myself and have to live on ramen for months.

I have said before that I am truly amazed by the generosity I’ve been shown in the past few months. And two weeks ago, I surpassed my fundraising minimum. This was a huge part of my goal for this race – to raise enough money that would make a difference for families fighting LLS. Even if I don’t have a great race, I take great pride in knowing that I did something to help others in need. If you supported me in the past few months, whether it was by donating or just listening as I worried about training, thank you. Give yourself a pat on the back because we just did something really awesome together.

So here we are, a week away from my first Olympic Triathlon. After 19 weeks of insanely early Saturday morning practices, countless uncomfortable swim workouts and many moments of questioning my own sanity, I am just days away from putting myself to the test. It has been a crazy journey, but I feel ready for it. Let's go.

Birchwood Lakes Sprint Triathlon - Race Recap

This past weekend, I completed my first triathlon.

My lucky number is 8! This was a good omen.

I had so much fun, and it made me feel like all of the early mornings, long bike rides, and tough swims over the last several months were worth it.

I signed up for this triathlon as a test run for the NYC Tri in 2 weeks. I read it was a small, low-key race, which I figured would be a perfect way for me to practice transitioning and open water swimming.

I headed home Friday morning, and decided at the last minute to leave my road bike in Brooklyn. Trying to get my bike on the subway, through Penn Station, and home to NJ seemed like a lot of work. I chanced that I would be able to rent a road bike at home, like I did in Vermont. But unfortunately, I had no such luck.

I drove to a bike shop that rented road bikes, only to find out that they had none available. And neither did another place. They were all already rented, and I remembered that there were several triathlons happening in the area this weekend. Uh oh.

I quickly came to the conclusion that I would have to use one of my family's mountain bikes for the race. I was really bummed and nervous about it. I've been training on a road bike, and they're LOADS faster than mountain bikes. But I had no other choice, and pouted much of Friday evening about it.

My amazing parents agreed to come to the race with me, and we drove down bright and early on Saturday morning. I munched on my english muffin with PB and banana, chatted with my parents, and became super nervous as we got closer to the race.

My race-day nerves were somewhat diminished when we got to there, only to find that it was RIDICULOUSLY low-key. 

The "start" line

I checked in to the race, and putzed around on the beach where the swim started. The atmosphere was so relaxed that there were babies and dogs playing on the beach. It was so cute.

Next, I set up my transition area.

I became a little intimidated at this point, because I was about 1 of 5 people with a mountain bike. I was really wishing I had gone through the hassle of bringing my Raleigh home.

A huge upside to a small race is having access to warm-up in the water before the start. I threw my wetsuit on and went for a little swim out to the first buoy.

The water was a great temperature, and I was happy to get the chance to swim off my nerves a bit. I chatted with my parents for a few more minutes, and then the race began.

The swim was a half mile out and back, with about 8 buoys lining the water. I started out in the middle-back of the pack. Because there were so few racers, I didn't encounter any kicking or punching from other swimmers. I got into my stroke, and started to race.

After a few minutes, I started to feel pretty tired. The lake water felt really thick. It took a lot of effort for me to go a short distance, and I became a little nervous. But I put the thought out of my mind, and told myself to get to the end of the buoys.

At the turnaround, I just kept swimming and told myself I was halfway there. I also started counting down buoys - 5 left, 4 left, 3 left... and then it was finally over.

Me coming out of the water!
I'm second from the left... I think.

I felt REALLY tired at the end of the swim, more tired than I though I would feel. But I made my way to transition, got on my bike, and went.

The bike was a 13-mile out and back. The course was pretty flat, but it felt like everyone was passing me on their fancy road bikes. I pushed myself really hard to try to go as fast as I could, but it wasn't easy.

I just kept telling myself what my parents had said before the race - this is a test run. Don't worry about how long it takes you, just enjoy it. So at about the halfway mark, I got into a groove and stopped worrying about other racers passing me.

Starting the bike race... with a mountain bike.

I made it back to the transition, and saw the majority of the bikes already back in the racks... which meant I was probably in the back of the pack. But I knew my body was ready for my strongest leg, the run.

My legs felt tired after getting off the bike, but after a minute or so I was ready to race.  I didn't know how fast my body would be able to go, so I took the first half mile at an easy pace, but picked it up a bit for the last half... and clocked in my first mile at 8:22.

I started to feel really good, and was finally passing other people for once. I could feel the temperature rising, but just tried to enjoy the last two miles of my FIRST triathlon.

That's me! I swear!

I finished the second mile in 8:15, and was surprised at how fast my legs were going. I had a huge smile on my face, and focused my attention in the last mile on passing one more person. I turned around the final bend and let my legs go, clocking in the last mile at 7:35.

And just like that, I finished my first triathlon!!!

I was so happy that I did it, and that my parents were there to share this experience with me. They were the best cheer squad a gal could ask for.

Shortly after the end of the race, the beer-b-que started, and we enjoyed some well-deserved beers and burgers.

Papa! And keg beer.

I attempted to stretch, because I could feel that my hips were thrown off by the bike-to-run transition. Aside from feeling hot and a little dehydrated, I felt pretty good.

I saw on the website that they would give out overall awards and age group awards after the race. I had a dream last week that I won an award, so I secretly wanted to see if I had some small chance of winning in my age group. 

They announced overall female and male winners, and then worked their way up to the winners in the Female 20-29 bracket. I crossed my fingers when they announced 3rd place... and my name wasn't called. I knew it was silly to hope for, but thought I might have a chance. 

Then I heard the announcer say, "and in 2nd place, from Brooklyn, New York..." My parents and I started yelling, realizing that I had won 2nd place in my age group!!!

The cutest parents anywhere.

I was over the moon, so surprised that I had done well enough to get 2nd place. My parents told me not to sell myself short, that I worked hard for this day, and that I deserved it. That's why they are the absolute best.

And the splits for my second place finish were...

Swim: 15:31
Transition 1: 2:28
Bike: 48:40
Transition 2: 0:55
Run: 24:14
Overall: 1:31:48

Once we got home, I was ready for an afternoon of rest. I took a shower, got into comfy clothes, and turned on a movie. I had the best snuggle buddy to enjoy the afternoon with...

Morgan, the most adorable cat.

Two days later, I am still overjoyed by how fantastic this experience was. I feel really good about the NYC Tri in just TWO WEEKS. But this race, as my first tri ever, will always have a really special place in my heart.

Week 17 – NYC Triathlon Training

2 and a half weeks ‘til race day! Eep!

Here’s how this past week has shaped up:

Monday: 1 Hour Swim at Group Training

Tuesday: 5.7 Miles of Running

Wednesday: 1 Hour Bike

Thursday: 2.7 Miles of Running

I feel pretty good overall today about where my training is at. Could be because I got some solid outdoorsy training in Vermont last week…

I DID IT.

My dad has a tradition of bike riding “the notch” when we’re up in Vermont. It’s essentially a 3-mile STEEP uphill that I did last year, and swore to myself and anyone who would listen that I would never do again. It was one of the hardest endurance workouts I had done to date.  But since I discovered a new love for biking in the past few months, I thought I would give it another chance.

My dad is one tough cookie.

This year’s trip was loads better. I rented a fancy road bike, and I REALLY enjoyed the change in scenery. My typical bike rides are either inside a hot gym or circling around Prospect Park again and again and again. There was just no comparing this ride to anything else.

I rode with my cousins and dad, and then my cousin Pat and I did an hour run once we got to the other side of the notch (the dreaded BRick of the week). I was nervous about the run because of my IT band, especially since my physical therapist told me to take it easy. I respectfully ignored his advice because I was more concerned about getting this key workout in before the triathlon.

The first 4 miles I felt GREAT. My cousin Pat is one of my absolute favorite running buddies. He makes the time fly by with good stories and advice. But by mile 5, I could feel my IT band beginning to throb again. We took some walk breaks, and then with only a few minutes left til the end, I told him I needed to walk the rest of the way.

I wondered whether I had pushed it too much, but I did some good stretching right after and felt okay. PLUS, I did some really healthy post-BRick fueling.

My awesome family!

My time in Vermont was so needed. I got lots of fresh air, quality time with my family, and even managed to squeeze in a few photo shoots.

Crazy face with Molly.

Wacky face with Molly and Pat.

Smiles with the cutest kid ever.

Separate photoshoot with my cute sis!

I got home on Sunday with a killer case of the blues, and a full-blown head cold. I immediately laid down on my couch, and watched a DVRed version of Big with Tom Hanks. That movie is not as good as I remember. It’s actually kind of bad. When did that happen?

After Big put me to sleep for a few minutes, I woke up went into an unpacking/cleaning frenzy in my apartment. Cleaning somehow energized me, and I decided to go for a short 2-mile shake-out run to see how my IT band was feeling…. And miraculously, it felt just fine.

I went for a run again on Tuesday morning… and still felt fine. And again this morning… no issues. I don’t want to celebrate yet, but I’m feeling pretty good.

Plus, I have this crazy thing to look forward to this weekend:

This is perhaps one of the tiniest races I’ve ever participated in. There were about 140 people who participated last year, and it’s projected to be about 200 this year. When I emailed the race director, asking whether there would be a “general” note sent out about parking, start times, etc, he wrote back: “Maybe, good idea. All the info is on the website.” He was also quoted in a local newspaper article about the triathlon saying that the race would be canceled only if there was “snow or zombies.” I gotta meet this guy.

I’m feeling oddly confident about the swim, good about the bike, and so-so about the run. I know it’s going to be low key, and there’s a beer-b-que following the race, so the odds of having a good race are pretty high. Check back next week for a race recap for my first triathlon! Eep!

The Open Water Swim...

It’s Week 15 of NYC Tri training – only 5 weeks left. I’m shaking in my booties.

Here’s what I did this past week:

Saturday: OPEN WATER SWIM + 45 min run

Sunday: 2 hour bike ride

Monday: 1 Hour Group Swim (I'M QUEEN OF THE WORLD)

Tuesday: 6 Mile Run (I HATE YOU BODY)

Wednesday: 1 Hour Indoor Bike (NOTHING TO SEE HERE)

Thursday: 40 Minute Swim (THIS ISN'T SO BAD)

Why all the random add-ons? This past week was filled with highs and lows. Let’s start with the craziest of them all – the open water swim at Coney Island on Saturday.

I really thought I would be more nervous than I was for this swim. Given my general hatred dislike for swimming over the past few weeks, I thought it was going to be rough. But swim practice earlier in the week was actually quite fun, and I was on my first-ever high from swimming.

My fave training buddy Meggie and I got to Coney Island nice and early for instructions by our coaches and the lifeguards. The first thing I heard when we got to the boardwalk – the water is COLD. Tropical Storm Andrea passed over New York and left just a couple hours before our swim, thus making the ocean cold and choppy. I found out after the swim that the water hadn’t been that cold in the eight years that one of our coaches has been doing TNT.

MIXED EMOTIONS.

We put on our wetsuits, and were advised to do some running before the swim to get warmed up. When we finally got in the water, and my feet were not happy with me. During the first lap, I kept my head up the entire time, since ya know, I COULDN'T SEE THE BOTTOM, WHICH IS STRANGE.  

In the second lap, I told myself to trust my months of training, and try to swim “normally.” I put my face in the water, and just swam. My face felt like ice during the first few minutes, but I started to get the hang of it. I have heard that it is really common for people to freak out the first time they swim in open water, but I wanted to avoid this. I counted my strokes in my head – one, two, three, four, five, six, SIGHT. This was also really foreign to me. We practiced sighting in last week’s swim practice, but it’s sort of silly in the pool because you know exactly where you’re going… but in the ocean, you have to make sure you’re not swimming out to sea.

We did twenty minutes of continuous lap swimming, a few other exercises, and we were done. We did it!!!

It really wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. Looking back, this swim was a huge mental barrier for me. Now that I know that I can actually swim in open water, and brave it out in less than ideal conditions, it just doesn’t seem so daunting to me anymore.

That being said, I finally decided to sign up for this puppy:

I knew I wanted to do a sprint tri before the big day, but I was a bit scared about whether I’d be prepared for the swim. During the NYC Tri you swim with the current, so you’re not actually swimming for that long (my mentor Andy said that last year his NYC swim time was 17 minutes, and in a different race with the same distance, his swim time was 33 minutes…).

The Birchwood Lakes swim is an out and back half mile swim in a lake. No current, just still, open water. But now I feel like I can do it. Plus, I realized the other night at swim practice that we swam a little over a mile in the pool (!!!!).

At least I think I did. I am REALLY bad at counting laps and meters and stuff. You can tell me if I’m totally off, but I think I read somewhere that 33 laps is a mile. (Actually, don’t tell me and shatter my confidence. K great).

So the swimming is going well (for once), and I’m pumped about this sprint tri as a practice run for race day. Yet I have been sidelined this week by a stupid tweak in my left IT Band.

I went out for 400 sprints Tuesday night after what felt like a crappy day. Everything at work was bothering me, everyone was TOUCHING me on the subway, and I just felt like a cranky troll. Normally, a good run can get me out of a funk, so I was looking forward to it. But my body felt tired, and I should have listened to that.

I felt fine during the warm-up, and even somewhat strong in the first five 400s. But during the last sprint, I felt really beat, and at the end of it my body said ENOUGH. I couldn’t slow my heart rate, and I did some run-walking to try to cool-down. I noticed some pain in my left IT Band, and by the last mile it was really hurting. I cut the run short, and harrumphed my way home.

WHY OH WHY would you do this to me IT Band? We’ve been getting along so well, you and I. Did I push you too hard? Just tell me. I’ll be good to you, I promise.

I went to see the all-powerful Dr. Levine yesterday, and he was a bit perplexed by it as well. He found two big knots in the muscle, and worked them out for me. But he advised no running for at least a week. I’m still pouting.

Especially because in one week, I will be here:

My dad, cousins and me after the bike up the Notch!
You can really see what we look like, no?

I’ll be heading up to Vermont next week for a vacay/family reunion, and have every intention of enjoying the amazing scenery by running and biking as much as I can. Give me some trails and grass, and I am one HAPPY gal. I am not going to let my stubborn leg keep me from doing the things I love. 

Week 14 NYC Triathlon Training - and Other Thoughts

It’s been a good week of training! Here’s what I’ve been up to:

Saturday: BRick (1M run, 1 ½ hour bike, 30 min run)

Sunday: 1 Hour Bike

Monday: 1 Hour Swim Practice w/ wetsuit (!!!)
Tuesday: 6M Run, 5x400 hill repeats

Wednesday: REST

Thursday: BRIck (1 Hour Bike, 20 Minute Run)

The BRick on Saturday was intense but good. A few weeks ago I was nervous about the state of my fitness, specifically for running. We started out with a slow 1 mile run, followed that with a 1 ½ hour bike, and finished with 30 minutes of hill repeats. Yeah.

The bike was fun, but I didn’t feel the need to go too fast. I try to keep in mind that I also have a 6 mile ride to and from the park, so I tack on 12 more miles than everyone else. I made the mistake a few weeks ago of doing far too many laps of Prospect Park, so I did what I thought was a good amount for me.

As a triathlon newbie, there are a lot of things I need to work on/remember for the race. Like hydrating and fueling while on my bike. I hadn’t purchase the “right” kind of water bottles for my bike yet. You’re supposed to have the kind that you can just leave open, so it’s easy to hydrate throughout the race. I’ve been continuing to use my Rubbermaid “flip open” water bottle, and I finally realized on Saturday why this will just not do for biking. At the end of what I thought was a successful grab-n-sip session on my bike, I was trying to close the lid and put it back on my water bottle holder, when I completely missed it and my bottle went flying. The bottle went one way, the lid went another, and my dignity was back some few hundred feet.

My new bottle.

So I invested in two water bottles this week via amazon that looked super cute online. But they are in fact too big for my bike. So I have to exchange them, I guess. #newbieproblems

I also got a Fuel Box for my bike, because I couldn’t figure out how people properly fuel while biking and I was STARVING mid-way through our ride. While I usually leisurely stop for water and nutrition on bike rides by myself, I was reminded that this is NOT what happens on race day. Hopefully this thing will help me get my gus and other nonsense easily. I will have to practice before the race because I am not the most skilled one-handed rider.

We got off our bikes after an hour and a half, and started the run. The reason why they call these sessions "BRick"s: B is for Bike, R is for Run, and Brick is for the way your legs feel when you get off the bike and start running. They feel like lead. But after a minute or two, I was moving and grooving.

At the end of the session, they had a How-To session on how to fix a flat tire. I wanted to just sit and watch, but at the end of the session I felt like I should at least try part of it. I asked my awesome TNT mentor, Andy, to help me. He said we should just do the whole thing. And I did!

Fixing a flat tire is not easy. I employed the help of Andy and another mentor to get me through it. I did almost every single thing wrong, twice, before I did it right. But it was something that TNT really encouraged all of us to learn, so if I get stranded on the side of the road somewhere with a flat, I will feel slightly more confident about being able to fix it.

Post BRick- Sweaty, dirty, and happy
(And it was laundry day)

We also had our first wetsuit swim on Monday night (WAAAHH). I have been reading about and hearing that everyone freaks out in wetsuits, especially when in open water. Aside from the fact that it can get really tight on your neck, and really hot by your belly and legs, it was actually super fun to swim in. Wetsuits make you more buoyant (I'll be needing that), and I felt faster. We practiced things like sighting, which is important on race day when you're in open water and you don't have lane lines guiding you to the finish.

It was probably the first swim practiced I've really enjoyed in a long time. 

After a successful BRick and swim, I'm feeling confident and reflective. I read this awesome blog today about "10 Uncommon Truths Every Business Owner Should Know." While it sounds a bit businessy, I assure you the gal who writes on this blog is a hysterical GENIUS. She writes a lot about how to start/run your own business, but a lot of it relates to working and life in general. In her blog, she writes about 10 thing she learned from being a manager at an ice cream shop. It made me think back to some of the things I've learned in my past jobs, and more relevantly, to my past two years as a runner. 

So here's my own list of 5 Uncommon/Probably Pretty Common Truths Every Runner/Triathlete Should Know:

1. Training is Called Training for a Reason - You Have to Do it (aka It's Not Called Sleeping in/Sitting on Your Couch and Watching Game of Thrones)
This is sort of advice to anyone who is on the fence about training for something big. There are a lot of mornings when I don't feel like getting up early to get in my training, or want to finish the full length of what I have on my training schedule. At times like this, I say to myself, you just have to do it. You can come up with all of the excuses in the world for why you can't fit a training session in (and from time to time, that happens). But if you signed up for a race, it's your commitment to put in the time. Suck it up, lace up your sneakers, and get on with it. You'll be happy once you did. And don't forget to treat yourself to an iced coffee afterwards.

2. Trying Stuff that Scares You Makes You a Better Athlete
Last year, when I was trying to complete all of my 9+1 races, I had about 3 or 4 weekends in a row when I had to get to Central Park for a race. (I'm starting to realize more and more that I live in one of the most inconvenient neighborhoods to get to races in NYC, and getting to Central Park by 8AM on a Saturday is about as easy to get to as Toledo.) So instead of wasting my energies on a slow subway for an hour, I decided to run there. It was much quicker, and I'm convinced squeezing in a casual run over the Queensboro Bridge every other weekend built up my stamina for my Brooklyn Half PR. It SCARED the crap out of me to run in Brooklyn and Queens before most bodegas were even open, but now I don't think twice about getting to Central Park or trying a brand new route. My legs thanked me for that.

3. Forget Nutrition and Forget your Race
I think the editors of Runner's World say to themselves PREACH! every time they hear someone talk about how important nutrition is during a race. It comes up in every issue of their mag, and I couldn't agree more. I had a few unpleasant run-ins when I was a newbie at running, because I didn't take nutrition seriously enough. I also experienced it last Saturday at my BRick (but in a non-bathroom run sort of way). I didn't eat enough breakfast, and I realized halfway through my bike that I was starving and didn't know how to re-fuel without getting off my bike and taking a 5 minute break. It reminded me that I am a big breakfast kinda gal. I need it or I'm going to get fatigued, and I need easy access to gus during my training to keep going. Plain and simple, it's one of the easiest things to prepare for, and once of the easiest things to mess up.

4. Other Runners/Athletes aren't trying to Intimidate you (but They Probably Think They're Better Than You)
There are a group of runners in my neighborhood who think they are the bees knees of running. I tried a few runs with them awhile ago, and realized they weren't my cup of tea. I see them a lot when I do speedwork at the track, in their fancy gear, and with their six pack abs. I also see a lot of runners at the beginning of races, when we're all piled into corrals like cattle, who have fancy arm sleeves, calf sleeves, and other neon-colored accessories. I used to be intimidated by both groups. But then I realized they are not paying the least bit of attention to me. Runners are in their own heads 90% of the time. I realized it would be a shame to put in all this time into training only to be intimidated by people who wear fancier stuff than I do. The best way to prove to yourself that your training and clothing works for you? Run past them on the course or track (I mean, if you can. I usually can't).

5. Smiling is a Good Way to Get What you Want
I try to use this in most areas of my life. People like people who smile. People don't like people who are grumpy and seem mean. There have been plenty of times when I've been at a race confused about how to drop off my bag or not followed directions correctly. I smile, ask a volunteer for help, and I always get what I want. This is also true when at a running store or in a group of people who know more about the sport than you do. Smile, ask a question, and get the answer you need right away. It also doesn't hurt to smile at fellow runners while out on the dusty trail. It just makes for a better run.

So those are my thoughts about running truths! I just love reflecting and stuff.

Week 13 - Tri Training

It’s hot today.

It seems like spring just passed us by, and we arrived in summer.

It was only this past Saturday that I left the house in running pants, a t-shirt, a running jacket AND a rain jacket. I left my house this morning in shorts and a tank top.

I did 5x500s and totaled 5 miles, and I wished after about 1 mile that I didn’t have an anti-sports-bra-only policy. I’m just not a fan of runners who choose to leave the house half-dressed. Put on a tank top like the rest of us, people. 

But this morning, I seriously considered taking off my sweaty tank top. I didn’t, but for the last mile of my run I rolled up my shirt so that my tummy could get a little wind. It felt really good. I think it was a good look too.

OK you caught me - I did 4.96 miles. But my last
400 was at a 7:17 pace! Gimme some love.

I put in some good training hours this week:

Saturday: 5 Mile run, mini bike ride in the rain

Sunday: 2 hour bike to Central Park

Monday: 15 minute swim

Tuesday: 1. 5 mile run, 45 minute spin class

Wednesday: 35 minute swim

Thursday: 5 mile run

My bike ride on Sunday was perhaps one of the best ones I’ve had all season.

Love my new Raleigh!

I usually bike to Prospect Park, but I wanted to shake things up. It was a perfect high-60s afternoon, and I got some serious hills in. The Queensboro Bridge is one long uphill, and I have not forgotten the rolling hills of the Park from my 9+1 race last year. But it felt really good to reach the top of those hills, and I feel like my bike legs have seriously improved in fitness.

I went to the same insane spin class I went to last week. It’s called “PX3” (why are Xs always in the middle of insane classes?), and it’s a really intense class with a bit of weight training throughout. I love this teacher because she turns off the lights and says little "woo!"s in the middle of songs to keep us going. I feel like people are secretly/not so secretly constantly looking at themselves in the mirror at spin. I love that she turns of the lights so you can just focus on your biking and the music, not what your hair looks like.

My swim this week was better than last week. I once again was dreading it, but my sprints were easier than they usually feel. I'm trying to be a bit more positive about swimming because next weekend is our first OPEN WATER SWIM. 

I really can't wait for this.

The more I think about it, the more I freak out a little. Tight wetsuit, open water, lots of people around me kicking and stuff. I need to do some serious meditation before this swim. 

I'm also trying to decide whether to do a sprint triathlon before the Olympic one in July. I'm a gal who likes to do practice races, and since I've never done a transition between swimming/biking/running before, it could be helpful. There's a race in NJ that I'm eyeing; it's not too far from my parents house, and it's so lowkey that they don't even give you your splits. Could be right up my alley.

And this finally happened!(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I am so FREAKING excited!!!!!!!

Training plans! New sneakers! Long runs!!!! It cannot come any sooner.