Lake Placid, Saturday - All About the Bike

Saturday was my biggest training day yet and the main reason I chose to do the Lake Placid camp. I woke up at 5 a.m., had a quick breakfast, got my bike ready and was off by 6:45 for the full Ironman course. I would end up riding just under 110 miles instead of 112 due to where we started and ended, but it was good enough for me. I've ridden 100 a couple times, but on organized centuries which tend to be a bit more leisurely than a training ride. Plus this course is hillier than my usual route so I knew it would be a challenge. I had no doubt I could do it, I just worried how I'd feel and wondered what it would be like to run afterward.

I started earlier than the group and my roommate Philip joined me. We had the course all to ourselves for about 40 miles. It was nice to have his company. Since it was early in the morning and there was minimal traffic, we often got to ride side by side and talk. My plan for the day was conservative and easy. The coaches told us to take it slower than race day - if we were aiming for 6.5 in the race, do the training ride in 7 or more. I focused on keeping my HR down and my legs comfortable by taking the climbs slow and coasting on descents whenever I could.

Philip pulled ahead around Mile 45 so I rode the final stretch of the first loop alone and finished in just over 3.5 hours. I quickly refilled my bottles and gel flask and ate a Luna Bar while I did it. I don't usually eat solids on the bike but was feeling a tiny bit hungry and figured it couldn't hurt. I was stopped for less than 10 minutes and started the second loop.

I find the second time on anything - whether its a loop or the return on an out and back - always goes by more quickly. Before I knew it I was at Mile 80 where our coaches were stationed to offer support if needed. I had skipped it on the first loop but decided to stop quickly. Jorge came to help and asked me if I was ok. I felt really good in general but was a bit loopy. I asked for some extra Gatorade while I had a caffeinated gel and got started again. The gel did the trick, about 10 miles later I felt much more alert and ready to take on the final section of the course.

This would be my fourth time on the back stretch since I also rode it as an out and back the day before. It was becoming incredibly familiar and made it slightly easier knowing just how close I was to the end and exactly what I needed to get through. My only issue at this point was discomfort in the saddle. I was dying to get out of it whenever possible, but this last stretch is all climbing so there weren't a lot of opportunities. I had opted to wear cycling shorts instead of tri shorts for this ride and boy was I glad I did. I clearly need to keep up my quest to find the right saddle. I also dropped my chain again on a steep climb and after general shifting issues, ended up having to do most of the final stretch in the big ring, which made for some tired legs by the end.

I'm still so new to this sport and still excited over each big milestone and this ride was no exception. While on the final stretch I heard a steady beep and thought my HRM was malfunctioning again, but then realized it was my bike computer hitting 100 miles. I remember this happening on my recent century but in that case, I was just about at the end of my journey. While 10 extra miles isn't much, I also had a run to do to make my training complete. I had a feeling of pride for being able to do this, especially after a hiatus from cycling and my ongoing issues with the bike. I had a burst of energy and was able to pick up the pace for a strong finish.

I made my transition super fast - went to the bathroom, changed into tri shorts, put on a hat, my Garmin and running shoes and was off. My legs felt incredibly odd during the first half mile or so. They weren't heavy like I expected, but rather stiff and almost numb. I ran 2.5 miles out and back and we had support around Mile 2. I had no idea how I was doing until I hit the first mile - 7:52. Unbelievable. I had ridden 110 miles and was able to do a sub-8 pace. I backed the pace down to 8:20s and slowed on the final 1.5 miles since they were almost all uphill. Overall it was an excellent run and after three miles or so my legs felt almost normal. This was the first time in my 18 weeks of training that I felt I can do the race. Up until now I've been hoping, but now I know I can. And I have 90 more days to train. I can only hope it will keep getting better.

Biking
Distance - 109.23 miles
Time - 7:01:29

Running
Distance - 5 miles
Time - 42:15

Lake Placid, Friday - A Special Birthday

I got so caught up in the training and fun in Lake Placid that I didn't have time to post so I'll catch it up over the next few days.

Friday was my birthday and it was by far one of the most unique ones I've ever had. I slept in and went for a short ride, 10 miles out and back on the end of the bike course. This is a hilly section so the first part was pretty much downhill with climbing on the return. I wasn't supposed to ride Friday, but since Thursday's swim was canceled and I did Friday's run early, I was able to add an easy bike as a substitution. I'm glad I did because my legs felt a little tired and afterward were much better. The course is stunning. I'm not sure I could ever get tired of riding on it. Since this was an easy ride and I was alone, I stopped and took a couple pictures. They don't really do it justice but give you an idea of what it's like there.


The highlight of Friday came in the afternoon. We did a group swim in Mirror Lake and I opted to do the full course - two loops, 2.4 miles. My longest open water swim prior to this was 1.3 miles and it was in the Hudson River with current assist. I was a little nervous. I was sure I could do one loop, but was prepared to call it quits if I felt tired or uneasy.

The water was a good temperature and really clear. The buoy line runs right down the middle of the lake and there is a rope about six feet below the surface that you can follow. I barely had to sight as a result, which was great with my terrible navigation skills. It took about a minute to settle into a comfortable breathing pattern and then I just let my mind wander. I knew I'd be in there for at least an hour and a half - that's a long time to be swimming. My pace was incredibly consistent, I reached the turnaround in 22 minutes and finished the first loop in 44. I didn't even consider stopping, I just turned and kept going. The group had thinned out a lot so I was mostly on my own except for a guy that drafted me for awhile. I'm so slow no one ever drafts me so that was a treat. I finished the swim in just under 1.5 hours, exactly the time I was aiming for. I was overjoyed. One of the reasons I decided to learn to swim last year was because my 33rd birthday was approaching and I felt like it was time to learn. And there I was on my 34th birthday doing an Ironman swim. I can't quite describe what that meant to me.

Friday night was low key. Our other roommate, Philip, arrived and we had a group dinner to attend. We went back to our room after and were chatting when Philip realized it was my birthday and insisted we do something. He got up and left and came back later with a brownie and a candle. They sang happy birthday to me. All last week I thought I was missing my birthday by spending the weekend training in Lake Placid. I didn't miss it at all, in fact it turned out to be the best way to celebrate it.

Biking
Distance - 20.53 miles
Time - 1:17:26

Swimming
Distance - 4,224 yards (2.4 miles)
Time - 1:27:06

How it Should Be

I had to jump through hoops to get a car, fight my way through terrible traffic and drive nearly six hours to finally have a chance to train in a place where training is actually a pleasure. Today was Day 1 of the Lake Placid training camp and I got off to a good start with a bike and run. I met up with friends - Jenn, my roommate for the weekend, and Jorge, one of the coaches for the camp - for our first ride on the course. We were planning to do one loop but had to cut it to 51 miles due to lightning.

Lake Placid is stunning. After 11 years living in New York, this is my first trip to the Adirondacks and I can't believe what I've been missing. Early in the ride I looked around and realized this is how training should be. It shouldn't be potholes, bridges, runaway skateboards and angry homeless people like I'm used to dealing with. If I lived closer to a place like this I'd never have to force myself to go out for a ride.

I really enjoyed the course aside from a couple stretches of really bad roads and a super long downhill, about eight or nine miles, that to most cyclists would be heaven but for me was hell. Even when I used the brake a little I was going 35mph at times. If my crash weren't still a recent memory I might have been able to stay in aero and really enjoy it but instead I just wanted it to be over. If I had a choice, I'd rather ride up it than down it. After that stretch it was pretty much smooth sailing. It started to rain about 30 miles in and then the lightning and thunder followed so we cut the course a bit short and headed back.


We were in the final stretch, a long gradual climb that goes on for a few miles, when suddenly the rain picked up to a level I have never experienced on the bike. At first it felt like hail and then it was a like a solid wall of water. The wind got strong as well and we were on a road with no shoulder. I had a hard time keeping my eyes open so I pulled over to put my glasses back on. Jenn rode up while I was stopped and we started laughing hysterically the moment we saw each other. The weather literally could not have been worse. We were only about five miles from the end so we kept going. Between the century and this, I am gaining so much experience riding in the rain. I should be all set for whatever race day serves up.

The thunder and lightning continued so we decided to skip the swim. I called my coach for some quick advice and he told me to do tomorrow's run and bike again tomorrow. We ran around Mirror Lake so I got my first glimpse of the swim course. The water was smooth like glass and I found myself wishing I were swimming instead of running. I can't wait for tomorrow.

Biking
Distance - 51 miles
Time - 3:04:16

Running
Distance - 5 miles
Time - 42:10

Lake Placid Schedule

After a short rest block this week, I'll be heading into the most challenging stretch of training I've done yet. Yesterday was rest as usual and the so I took the opportunity to go out for drinks forget about the Ironman for another few moments. The next couple days have an easy hour on the bike, a 30 minute run and a 1,000 yard continuous swim. There is a chance I'll miss one of the workouts due to my work schedule, but in general, I like the sound of the low volume, especially when I look at my schedule Thursday through Sunday in Lake Placid:

• Thursday - Bike 1.5 hours, swim one course loop (1.2 miles). Not bad.
• Friday - Swim two course loops or 1:15:00 (I'll likely only make it to 1:15:00), run four miles. Getting a little harder.
• Saturday - Bike two loops (full 112 mile course), run five miles. Ouch.
• Sunday - Swim one loop, bike one loop, run one loop - 70.3 miles, the half Ironman distance. Yikes.

Since Saturday is so bike focused, the plan for Sunday is to do the swim, start the ride and see how I feel. If my legs are toast, I need to shorten the bike so I can get the run in. The challenge will be knowing and accepting that my legs are toast because I hate to quit anything. But I have Horribly Hilly just six days later so I need to be cautious.

My birthday is Friday and I've certainly picked a unique way to celebrate it. At least it will be memorable.

Lazy Sunday

It's really sad when I think 30 miles of biking followed by five miles of running is lazy. Perhaps it's because I was supposed to bike 50 miles and cut it short due to frustrating circumstances and total lack of motivation. Let's take a step back and look at what I've been up to the last few days.

Friday was a big training day, a 14 mile run and 3,200 yard swim. It was pouring rain. Not showers, but a full on downpour. I know I have to train in bad weather since there is no guarantee it won't be pouring on race day, but it's still not fun. I ended up wimping out a bit and did the first five miles on the treadmill before heading out into the cold and rain. My legs got stiff about 10 miles in from the cold and my feet were sloshing around in my shoes. I started thinking about getting in the pool afterward and all I wanted was to be dry. My pace was good in the beginning but really died off toward the end. The cold and wet got to me. I seriously hope it doesn't rain on race day.

I spent five minutes in the steam room thawing out before braving the pool. To add to the fun, the pool heater has been broken for weeks so the water is rather shocking when you first get in. I got my cap, goggles and HRM all situated on the pool deck so I could hop in and immediately get moving to stay warm. The swim went really well. I stayed on pace, was comfortable and only lost count twice. By the end I was dying for a hot shower and some time to dry out.

Because I'm spending my birthday at an Ironman training camp in Lake Placid, I decided to go out this weekend and spend some time with friends celebrating. I kicked it off with a fun night out on Friday that unfortunately made me feel miserable on Saturday. I had a 9 a.m. appointment with a mechanic to have my 12-27 cassette put on my bike in preparation for Horribly Hilly. I rode to his apartment and back plus a quick spin around the park to be sure everything was in working order, but decided to do my actual ride later since I was carrying a small backpack. Later would never come due to my 3:00 brunch leading to afternoon drinks, dinner and more drinks. I spent the day with two really good friends and can't tell you how good it felt to be just a normal person for an afternoon. We sat in the sun, talked and laughed, it was the perfect summer day. I felt guilty about missing training, of course, but I wouldn't trade the day I had for another two hours in the saddle. Life's too short.

So that brings me to my lazy Sunday. I slept until 8 to catch up a bit after all the celebrating so it seemed too late to try to ride out of the city. There was a race in Central Park so that was out. As much as I hate it, I decided it would be best to do as much of the ride as possible in Prospect Park. I figured if I got really bored I could finish on the trainer. The ride started off great, it wasn't too crowded, the weather was good and I was able to ride relatively fast. But on my second or third loop I noticed a massive group of cyclists up ahead. Literally hundreds and hundreds of them. Next thing I know I'm caught in the middle of this sea of slow, casual riders out for a stroll. Apparently the Tour de Brooklyn was passing through the park just as I was attempting my ride. I had to immediately exit the park to keep my sanity and ended up taking a small detour ride to kill time. Luckily the group had cleared the park by the time I returned. I rode a couple more loops with a friend and had only made it 22 miles when I decided I'd had enough. I did another eight miles on the trainer and just couldn't keep going. I felt fine, I wasn't tired, but my head just wasn't in it. I can't explain it. I got off the bike and sat on the floor for about five minutes trying to figure out what to do. I had already blown off a training day and the thought of missing more worried me. But I literally couldn't keep going. So I got up, went out for my run and called it a day.

The social time this weekend was supposed to help me mentally recharge, but I think it may have also made it hard to bounce back to training today. I was longing to sleep late, go out for breakfast and stroll around the neighborhood rather than be on my bike for three hours. It goes to show that the mental challenges of training can be just as big as the physical challenges, and all of it combined will make me stronger on race day.

Running (Friday)
Distance - 14 miles
Time - 2:03:55

Swimming (Friday)
Distance - 3,200 yards
Time - 1:05:33

Biking (Saturday)
Time - 40:00

Biking (Sunday)
Distance - 30 miles
Time - 1:58:12

Running (Sunday)
Distance - 5 miles
Time - 43:14

The Weight Game

I've mentioned the struggle with my weight since starting Ironman training and have learned it’s not an uncommon issue so I wanted to post a bit about it.

We've all seen the Kona broadcasts with stick thin people and I spent the day at Ironman Wisconsin last year and saw my fair share of sub-5% body fat athletes. So when I took on the challenge of doing an Ironman, I envisioned the pounds just melting away and imagined I’d literally be unable to keep weight on. This was somewhat the case with my Olympic and sprint training last summer. I lost eight pounds in one month and had significantly less body fat for the first time since high school.

But after 16 weeks of Ironman training I have not only not lost weight, but I've gained a few pounds. My body fat is also high. I had a test done back in February and weigh myself daily on a composition scale and it hasn't budged. After complaining about this several times to my coach he had me keep a detailed food log and made some recommendations for cleaning up my diet. He only did this, however, after explaining that some women have this issue when training for extreme endurance sports. Our bodies sense trauma and in an effort to protect the procreation of the species, holds onto that body fat for dear life.

An evaluation of my diet revealed that I wasn’t eating too terribly, but there were definitely some improvement areas. A subsequent check in on my overall lifestyle – diet, sleep, stress, etc. – identified a few more. Here is what I’ve done so far:

• Eliminated refined grains. Bye bye English muffins, cereal, pasta, regular bread and my favorite jasmine rice. Hello sprouted grain bread and English muffins (almost as good as the real thing… almost), brown rice, occasional potatoes, tons and tons of vegetables (yuck) and fruits. These replacements keep my carb levels up enough but are much healthier choices. I still occasionally eat Eggo Nutrigrains before a race or long ride because that’s what I like and figure I can burn it off and I still have my favorite pre-race dinner of spaghetti with turkey meatballs, only the spaghetti is whole wheat now.
• Reduced total calorie consumption to 1,800 - 2,000 per day depending on activity level. I was simply eating too much and all the processed stuff was making me hungrier.
• Cut the coffee from my usual 4-5 cups a day to two cups, one large and one small.
• Increased sleep to seven hours per night as many nights as possible, and aim for eight 1-2 days a week. I’m trying to make the 5-6 hour nights, my average over the past three months, a thing of the past. Not only does sleep deprivation hinder weight loss, but it’s hindering my ability to recover and train well.
• Reduced drinking significantly. I reserve it only for weekends or social outings and am keeping it to a minimum (under most circumstances).
• Increased protein intake. This has made a huge difference in my hunger levels.

It took a couple weeks of adjustment but the difference I feel from having a cleaner diet and a little more sleep is remarkable. It's something I have to really work at but it’s worth it. I may not see a difference on the scale but I feel a difference in my energy level and overall well being. That's enough for now.

I woke up feeling much better this morning and had a solid tempo run. I did two long intervals at anaerobic pace and was surprised by how easy it felt. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing little improvements.

Running
Distance - 5.62 miles
Time - 45:00

Killer Bees, Missed Training and General Malaise

What a busy few days I've had, and not necessary in the good sort of way. After the half marathon I rallied and went out for my long brick, a 78 mile ride followed by a 5 mile run. It was supposed to be a 6 mile run but I was starving and called it quits after 5. All in all not a bad effort considering I'd raced my best half marathon the day before. But the distance isn't what made Sunday's ride interesting. Here are some highlights:

• It was my first-ever solo long ride outside the city. I rode from Brooklyn to the George Washington Bridge and then up to Haverstraw and back. I've always been a little afraid of riding alone so this was a big step.
• I finally faced the actual scene of my accident and the hospital I was taken to and it didn't bother me one bit.
• I only got a little lost once.
• I rode through a massive swarm of bees on Riverside Drive on my way back through the city. I saw this cloud up ahead, but figured it was that cottony stuff floating through the air making my allergies miserable. Boy was I wrong. Suddenly I was in a cloud of bees, bouncing off my face, arms, chest, everything. I swore one went into my shoe. It was all I could do not to lose control and crash. I stopped as soon as was safely possible, freaked out a little and checked for clinging bees. Miraculously I wasn't stung. It felt like something out of X-Files.
• I gently ran into a parked car thanks to some idiot cutting me off in a Corvette and then blocking the entire bike lane. She stuck her arm up to wave at me and courteously let me know she was cutting me off. Gee, thanks.
• Some stupid kid doing tricks on a skateboard shot the board right in front of me. I rode up on it and nearly bit it. I managed to clip out and not wipe out. He heard a few choice words from me.

All of this was in the final 14 miles of a really long, exhausting ride. After this, I've decided I will never again ride back home from the bridge and risk all these ridiculous obstacles. My coach agrees. He'd rather see me not have a brick workout than have to dodge bees, sports cars and loose skateboards. I will take the subway back from now on and then run when I get home.

Monday was rest. I needed it and loved it.

Yesterday was supposed to be a bike and optional swim. My friend Jeremy was swimming in the morning so I decided to join him and do the optional swim before work. It was another super short catch and pull focused session with 10 50s at anaerobic pace. I logged my best swim times ever during this workout and really enjoyed it. It makes me want to keep working on technique and form to get more of that "free speed."

After the great swim I was looking forward to the bike, but then I worked late and by the time I got home I was hungry and totally wiped. I decided to eat first, then bike, only the bike never happened. It was past 9 p.m. by the time I was ready to start and I just didn't have it in me. I was feeling really sluggish and just wanted to go to sleep.

This morning was another swim, a longer anaerobic session. I woke up exhausted and hit snooze twice. I felt like I was sleepwalking on the way to the train and had a hard time staying awake on the ride into the city. The pool was packed with dog paddlers and breastrokers so getting up to speed was tough. I managed to feel pretty good during the swim and kept on pace easily, but afterward I went right back to feeling tired. This lingered all day long and into the evening. I made up yesterday's missed bike, which was supposed to be an interval workout, but I had a really hard time getting my heart rate into the anaerobic zone. My legs were completely fried so I just couldn't put in the hard effort needed. I did the intervals and had the option to extend this to up to 1.5 hours, but stopped after 45 minutes. I was toast.

Maybe I'm getting sick, or maybe this is another slump. Training for an Ironman is like being on a roller coaster. The highs are so incredibly high while the lows couldn't get much lower. I have been struggling with my weight (which I spent a lot of time reflecting on today and will do a separate post on that this week), trying to get enough sleep, keep up with the training and perform at work as if I'm not doing any training at all. So while I feel really great most of the time, there are times where it all catches up with me and knocks me down a few notches.

My big Lake Placid training weekend starts next Thursday so I need to kick whatever this is. I'm hoping tomorrow will be the start of my next high.

Biking (Sunday)
Distance - 78 miles
Time - 5:02:25

Running (Sunday)
Distance - 5 miles
Time - 43:49

Swimming (Tuesday)
Distance - 1,000 yards
Time - 17:46

Swimming (Wednesday)
Distance - 1,750
Time - 31:58

Biking (Wednesday)
Distance - 10.97
Time - 45:00

Brooklyn Half

Today was the Brooklyn Half Marathon, my third half marathon of the season and the first I could actually race. My first was back in January and I paced a friend doing her first half marathon so I ran her pace. My second was in February and I had just started training for New Orleans so my coach had me do it at long run pace. But today I had a chance to go for a PR and knowing it was likely my only chance this year, I wanted to give it my best.

I asked my coach for a pacing strategy prior to the race to avoid my usual go all out at the start and crash at the end approach. The plan was: Miles 1-6 - 8:30/mile; Miles 6-10 - 8:15/mile; Miles 10-13.1 - 8:00/mile and if I felt good with 1.5 miles or less to go, run as fast as I could. Here's how I did:

• Miles 1-6: I started out good even though it was incredibly crowded - nearly 12,000 runners. I hit close to my goal pace on just about every mile, most around 8:21-8:24 with one just around 8 so I had a bit of a cushion built up. The more conservative start was perfect since this entire stretch was in Prospect Park with the only hills I'd see on the course.
• Miles 6-10: I'm no good at sensing pace so when it was time to speed up I just ran faster and figured I'd sort it out after a mile. My first split was 7:49. Oops. I backed off and hovered right around 8:15 where I was supposed to be. We exited the park and hit Ocean Parkway. I love running on closed streets instead of in the park, it makes the race so much more interesting. We were headed straight to Coney Island.
• Miles 10-13.1: Despite my hopes of having tons of energy at the end, I was fading. Ocean Parkway felt and looked like a false flat. I'd swear there was just enough grade to make your legs tired or perhaps my legs were just tired. I started skipping fluid stations to avoid stomach cramps and save time. I wasn't able to get to an 8:00 pace, instead I remained around 8:15 pretty consistently up until Mile 12. Coming into this fluid station I made a decision. I'd grab a Gatorade and take as many walking steps as needed to drink the small cup, then start to run again. I hoped it would act as a mini rest interval and give me that final kick I needed to come in under 1:50:00. It was a gamble because I lost about 30 seconds, but luckily it paid off. I ran the next mile in 7:54 and did the final .1 at a 7:20 pace, finishing in 1:48:53.

My previous PR was 1:52:33 last July at the NYC Half Marathon so this was an almost 4-minute improvement. I was thrilled. The race ended on the Coney Island boardwalk so I met up with friends and we waded into the water for a bit. It was freezing so I'd like to think it had the benefits of an ice bath. After standing there for several minutes, my friend Mary and I got brave enough to jump in all the way. The water was so cold it totally took my breath away, yet we managed to tough it out for another 5 minutes or so.

We did a stealth clothing change on the boardwalk, got hot coffee and headed home where we had an impromptu BBQ and lounged outside all afternoon. My optional swim didn't happen. Instead I drank summery wine and went for homemade ice cream before coming home and relaxing some more. Sometimes you just need to be lazy after a race.

Running
Distance - 13.1 miles
Time - 1:48:53

Friday is Tri Day

My Fridays off are getting more and more packed as my training progresses. It used to be that I slept a little later, did some training, and ran errands or did things around the apartment that I don't have time for during the week. But now that my training has progressed and I'm getting closer to my busiest weeks, my Fridays consist of very little outside of tri focused activities, which is not a bad thing. I had a client call today at 9 a.m. so I did 40 minutes of my trainer ride, took a break for the call and did the final 50 minutes after.

I had to go into the city for my long swim so I decided to have a look at wetsuits while there. I had my eye on the Helix, Blue Seventy's top of the line suit. I have a sleeveless suit and while it's been good thus far, I don't like wearing it for long swims due to the risk of arm chafing. I figured the Ironman was a good reason to upgrade. If I were a normal swimmer I wouldn't need a suit as premium as the Helix, but with my shoulder injury and ongoing issues, the Helix was recommended due to the flexibility.

I went to try the suit on before my swim to avoid being sweaty and smelling like rubber after my swim. It took about 5 minutes to get into and the sales guy helped me with the final adjustments and zip. It felt like a perfect fit but you never really know until you swim in it, which is the hard part about buying wetsuits. And this is where one of my coolest NYC shopping experiences began. I had tried on a demo model and this store has an endless pool for training sessions. No one was in it so the guy asked if I wanted to give it a try. I was in my underwear under the suit but figured I could just go without after the swim. He asked if I had a swim cap and I said no, but then realized not only did I have a cap, but I had my goggles too since I was on my way to swim. I grabbed them, signed a waiver and hopped in. He had me lay on my face and back at first to feel the buoyancy of the suit, then he turned on the pool and let me swim in it. I've never been in an endless pool before so it was a pretty fun experience. Plus I was blown away by how great the suit felt. I didn't even feel like I was in a wetsuit because it was so flexible. I was sold.

Since I was sans towel, I used a small cotton bag I had inside my other bag to dry off a little, then solved the no underwear problem by putting on my dry swimsuit with jeans over it. I looked in the mirror and noticed something on my chest. It was a faint impression of the mirror image of the word "Demo" which had been written in marker inside the suit and transposed on my chest. Just another great reason to have done the shopping before my swim!

My swim was good today. I did 3,200 yards at my Ironman race pace, which is pretty leisurely. I felt like I could swim forever at that speed. There were a lot of idiots in the pool today so I got kicked and hit a few times and a couple people entered the lane without announcing their presence. Nothing makes me more angry, it's a huge accident waiting to happen. But I outlasted all of them and eventually got the lane to myself. My swim was It was 6 sets of 500 with a 30-second rest interval so it was almost continuous. I haven't done many long swims so I really enjoyed it.

I paid for my Lake Placid training camp today as well and made it official. I haven't finalized my travel dates yet so for now my plan is to swim 1:15 and run 4 miles Friday, ride 112 miles and run 5 miles Saturday and do the half Ironman distance on Sunday if my legs can handle it. I am really looking forward to this. It's going to be the hardest training I've ever done and it's a unique way to celebrate my 34th birthday. It will remind me of how far I've come in just one year.

Biking
Distance - 23.3 miles
Time - 1:30:00

Swimming
Distance - 3,200 yards
Time - 1:02:48

Sleeping and Eating

Two things in life that used to be my favorites - sleeping and eating - have now been reduced purely to training necessities.

Let's start with sleep, something that's been elusive since starting my new job and kicking the training into high gear. I've learned to adapt to 5-6 hours sleep per night, which has turned out to be a not so great thing. Every couple weeks I reach a point of exhaustion that is almost unbearable and I end up crashing and needing days of extra sleep to catch up. That's clearly not a good thing.

And then there's eating. I love food. I love restaurants. I love trying new things. One would think that training for an Ironman would mean you can eat whatever you want, that you'd be a calorie-burning machine. That is not the case for me.

Partially driven by the after effects of my gluttonous weekend in DC and partially driven by the realization that it's crunch time in my training, I decided it's time to get a grip on these two key elements of my Ironman preparation. I started by temporarily going back to logging everything I eat and drink to identify patterns and figure out what works best. I'm also increasing my calories at breakfast and lunch to minimize dinner since I eat so late at night anyway. I'm back on the no refined carbs wagon and toning down the alcohol consumption (tragic!). I'll save it for special occasions. After three days of paying close attention, I already have more energy and feel better overall. I had a slip with some Tim Tams yesterday but hey, I'm human.

Sleep is a bigger challenge. I have been logging 7 hours a night for the past few days, but slipped back to 6 hours last night. Tonight I'll aim for 8. I'm a night person so going to bed at 11 just isn't how I'm wired. I'm going to have to force this one because I know how critical it is to my training.

Speaking of training, I've had a good week so far. I did an interval session on the bike Tuesday, swam yesterday and did speed work today. I skipped strength training as usual and moved my optional swim to Saturday. I figured it would be a nice post-half marathon activity. I'm running the Brooklyn Half Marathon that day and hoping to feel good enough to shoot for a PR. But I'll wait and see what my legs tell me on race day before making that decision.

Biking (Tuesday)
Distance - 22.05 miles
Time - 1:30:00

Swimming (Wednesday)
Distance - 1,500 yards
Time - 27:45

Running (Today)
Distance - 5.4 miles
Time - 50:00

Number Three

Races in NYC are way too big and competitive to even dream about placing in my age group. I am always hearing how others are grabbing podium spots left and right and then I go out and race with 500 women in my group so the odds of even being in the top 10% are usually pretty slim. So when I signed up for a 4 mile race with my sister down in Maryland, I decided I'd make it my goal to finish in the top three of my age group. I did the race last year and while I had a decent run, I am much faster this year.

I was a little worried about the toll my "rest day" Sunday would take. A holiday weekend, sunny weather, nothing on the training schedule and bottles and bottles of crisp, summery wine in the backyard equaled a recipe for disaster. I slept in, strolled the farmer's market and then plopped myself in a chair for some good company and day drinking. This was followed by a totally indulgent dinner at which I consumed about an entire day's worth of calories along with many more drinks. I know it's not how an Ironman-in-training should spend a rest day, but I don't have many more chances to forget I'm an Ironman-in-training so I went with it. It was also the first time I've gotten to hang out with my sister since the New Year. It was very much overdue.

Luckily I was feeling relatively good this morning. I started the race near the front with the fast looking guys and hit the first downhill stretch as hard as I could. This race is mostly through the woods on a paved path and across some bridges, a really beautiful course. There are two turnarounds so you can get a sense of where you stand. I did a rough count and figured I was somewhere within the top 20 females. I tried not to let any women pass me and toward the end I was able to pass three or four that were fading. I finished in 30:59, a definite PR for me.

When the results were posted later in the day I confirmed I finished third out of 16 women in my age group. I was 15 out of 111 women overall, by far the best finish ranking I've ever had. Yes, it was a small race compared to what I usually do, but it was still a race nonetheless and another big milestone for me.

I ran another 6 miles after the race to make it my long run for the week. It was torture and my legs really hated me for it. But once done I was free to enjoy a long, relaxing Memorial Day.

Running (race)
Distance - 4 miles
Time - 30:59

Running
Distance - 6 miles
Time - 55:15

Swimming With the Fishes

I really enjoy open water swimming but it's not easy to do in and around New York City. So this year I decided to do a few swim races to gain experience swimming in crowds and get some interesting open water opportunities. I did my first this morning, the Great Hudson River Swim, a 1.3 mile race from the Christopher Street pier to Battery Cove. The weather was beautiful but the water was bracingly cold. We lined up on the pier and walked single file out onto the Water Taxi dock where we entered the river with a 6-8 foot drop into the water. The water was shocking at first. It took a few seconds to surface and it literally took my breath away. We were treading for a minute or so and I couldn't bring myself to put my face in the water for a warmup. I figured I'd warm up during the actual swim.

The race begins along the Christopher Street Pier before turning and heading south. We had to swim pretty far out into the river to avoid Pier 40, ferry docks, the Holland Tunnel vents and all sorts of other fun stuff. Getting past the buoy was tricky, swimmers were literally piling up and a few ended up right underneath the buoy. After the turn there was a lot of open space. I caught a few feet and elbows here and there but nothing crazy. It was a really tame group, one woman even apologized after hitting me.

There was a small current assist but nothing like the New York City tri last summer. I didn't feel like I was moving particularly fast and there were a couple spots I felt I really had to work hard to move forward. I was using buildings along the West Side Highway as landmarks and since I run along that path, it was easy to know the distance I had covered. I acclimated to the cold pretty quickly, but my feet and hands were a little numb. The water was relatively smooth at the start and got progressively choppier as we headed south and eventually had some pretty big waves, I'm assuming from boat traffic. The petroleum taste also intensified the further south we went. You could smell and taste the diesel fuel in the water. Yum. I kept trying to think of happy things to get my mind off the taste and started wondering if I'd puke from swallowing so much of it.

Swimming in the Hudson is really surreal. At one point I heard a loud boat motor and when I looked up the Water Taxi was zipping by on the right. The tourists on board looked utterly confused by the sight of (crazy) swimmers in the water. I could also hear ferry horns and other boat noises in the water. It was by far the most memorable way to see the city.

As we neared Battery Cove they had us swim back toward the seawall and into the cove where a pontoon with stairs served as the swim exit. As I got out of the water, I immediately noticed a guy down on his knees puking over the edge of the platform. I was thankful I didn't end up joining him, especially after a few big gulps I took near the end. There was also a girl wrapped up in heat sheets suffering from hypothermia. They were calling 911. I don't understand how anyone did this without a wetsuit.

They hosed us down as we exited so we wouldn't have to stroll around with black faces from all the dirt and oil. I met up with my friends Jonah and Barb who also raced. As I was getting a coffee at a nearby deli a woman said, "Congratulations - what did you run?" When I said we swam from Christopher Street she looked at me like I was nuts and said, "Wow, well congratulations." I remember the first time I saw swimmers in the Hudson several years ago. I, too, thought they were nuts and never in a million years thought I'd be one of them.

Swimming
Distance - 1.3 miles
Time - 37:48

Fatigue

You learn a lot about your body while training for an Ironman. Within minutes of beginning a workout I can tell if it's going to be good or if it's going to be a struggle. The days I struggle are almost always due to fatigue from previous days' training. I'm not talking about feeling tired, in fact I usually feel perfectly normal until I take that first step. I'm talking about a deeper, heavier sort of feeling.

I got a decent amount of sleep after the century and my legs didn't hurt at all. I was able to do that three-mile race just two days later at a relatively fast pace so I was recovered, right? Wrong. Training got progressively harder throughout the week - starting with awful foot cramps during Wednesday's swim, continuing with skipped training Thursday and culminating with a miserable brick today.

After the unplanned rest day I thought I'd be feeling great, but that was not the case. While the bike was generally ok, it simply felt forced. I had zero desire to be out there even though it was a beautiful day. I usually run well off the bike but for the first time in a long time I was treated to that lead legs feeling everyone complains about with bricks. I felt like I was running with weights strapped to my legs. To add to the fun, my HR was through the roof for minimal effort and I developed a hideous side stitch about a half mile in that never subsided and got so bad on the final mile I felt like I had a knife jabbed in my ribs.

I had considered making up the missed bike time from Thursday but decided against it. This is a rest week after all and clearly I need the rest. I'll finish the week as scheduled and hope my body is ready to go again next week.

Biking
Distance - 30.86 miles
Time - 1:54:02

Running
Distance - 4 miles
Time - 34:05

I Skipped It. I'm Human.

In 14 weeks of training I think I've missed three workouts, today being one of them. I have no dramatic excuses or justifications, I simply had a choice to make - spend some outside-work time with the girls I work with or go home and spend 1.5 hours on the trainer. I know I should have been on the bike, but since starting this job in March, I haven't had a chance to sit down and really enjoy the incredible people I work with. So I chose to skip the bike.

I still have 115 days to Ironman Wisconsin so I'm hopeful that an extra "rest" day isn't going to kill me. I've been so focused and have not doubt I'll get right back to it. But for now, I'm ok with my decision to take a moment to focus on another part of my life, especially since those opportunities are becoming more and more limited every day.

Nonstop

For a rest week, I'm definitely not getting much rest. My training volume is ridiculously low, but I feel like I've been going nonstop. This is partly because I'm determined to have at least two double days during the week now so I still have to get up early and end up getting home late. Between that and work it's all running together. I'm not complaining, it's just interesting to feel so busy on a light week. It makes me wonder what my life will be like in July and August when I'm in the really heavy volume.

I had a short swim on the schedule today with an optional easy bike. I am allowed to do up to 1.5 hours on the low end of my aerobic zone so I really wanted to get up early and fit this in before work. But the thought of getting up at 5:30 for an optional workout just wasn't appealing so I slept until 6:15 and did as much as I could. I met a friend tonight for a swim. He was doing 4,000 and I was only scheduled for 1,800 so he got there before me and I joined in progress. Even though swimming is a totally solo sport it's nice to have someone join you occasionally. It does get rather boring, especially when you're cranking out 4,000. I think 3,000 has been my max in the pool thus far and I nearly went out of my mind. It's times like that I wish I had a SwimP3. My swim was a little sloppy but my pace ended up being decent overall for an easy swim.

I think I'll sleep in tomorrow and do my bike after work. The lack of sleep starts to catch up by the end of the week.

Biking
Distance - 13.14 miles
Time - 50:00

Swimming
Distance - 2,200
Time - 41:11