And So I Run

Last week I ran 45 miles... the week before 41. I am running again and so happy to be running... running was my very first love even before triathlon.
I am varying my running and hoping to qualify for Boston at the Hartford Marathon this fall. I need 3:45 to do it.. more to come on that.
I have been running with a friend of mine... it's funny how interconnected this world is.... we have so much in common.. i learned of her last night.

I got a promotion at work, so I have been pretty busy. I like my new position... I am a manager... I really like the folks who work for me too... I have high hopes for this team

more later.. watching 6 feet under

Another Run, Another Day.

I did an EZ five tonite. Nothing to write home about. I ran 8:18's. My legs were burnt. I think I am still becoming acclimated to being back. I had that chest thing and then the fall... that kept me out longer than I ever have in my life...

Today someone asked me how to want to run and like to run and I got to thinking how much I do... the air and the gravel or the road and the smells of outside and my body moving.. It's good stuff.

Runner Girlie?

I run. I have always run. So I continue to run. I am getting less quasi modo runner, and more back to normal. I have set my New SITES on qualifying for the Boston Marathon by doing Hartford on Oct 14th. The irony is, I am a solid runner, but haven't had a good marathon yet.
I am doing hal higdon's advanced 2 program with a few tara modifications. Yesterday was a 3m run, i did 4.25 EZ and today was 3x hills and I did 2.25 then 3xhills and then 2.25--warm up and cool down. I did 6 quarter mile hill repeats--I did them with my friend Brenda which makes it way more fun!!

I'll make it... I know I will. My buddies are doing the pat griskus olympic tri this weekend.. .so send them good thoughts..
More soon.
Mending
Tara

Just Another Day

I've become one of the bloggers who essentially write to no one and it sits
out here in cyberspace... I vowed never to become one.. but I guess it's the
sharing of experiences that contributes to the people we are.. somehow.

I did another quasimodo run last night... it's something and I need to move.
It hurts because I take my sling off to do it.. It's kind of like the folks
on weight watchers who save up all their points and go to McDonalds at the
end of the day, I save my "out of sling time" for a nice run... it's who I
am. I love to run.

Wanted to give a big shout to johnhirsch.org-- wicked good guy and has the
cutest LIL chick.. they rock... His athletes rocked at Mooseman last
weekend.. check them out:

http://www.johnhirsch.org

Until another time.
Train hard.

Trigirlie no more?

Trigirlie No More

I got my cast of yesterday. The radial head of my elbow is now aligned with
the rest of my arm. Folks, this is good news. My radial head is still
fractured and there is no change in the severity of that fracture. The
action plan is as follows:
Cast off for 3 weeks
Xray after that
If healing cast stays off
If not, cast goes back on for 3 weeks
Cast comes back off for 3 weeks.
If healing no cast
If no healing tentative orthopedic surgery.

The good news is I can hobble along like a quasi modo runner...

The bad news is, no tri's this year.

It Can't Be Your Identity

Out of comission. No Tri's this season..it's tough when you near defining who you are by what you do and then you can't do what you do, so who are you?

I found out today that my liver functions came back normal. That was the last piece that was a mystery. I can take the bandage off the puncture and just apply bacitracin because it is no longer leaking.

I am sad. I miss running.. so much. I won't be able to run for weeks more...but I am holding out hope that it will be sooner.

I need to be who I am

the cast

the bruises

Still Resting

I have a nice blue smurfish cast from almost my right underarm all the way around my wrist onmyy right arm. The head of my radial bone is broken. Nice right? I am getting up off the couch which is good. I managed to sit 2 hours on the patio today. It was blazing hot out. Tomorrow my mom and gram are coming to visit over night which is cool. I am kind of sad. I am pretty much not Tri=ing this year. I had a good race at white lake, and I guess once I can walk okay again I'll slowly start running... as in my heart I am a runner. I can commence the season w/ the HFD Marathon as always.. and be good to go from there... it certainly frees up my social life (kidding)---but this is exactly why your identity can't be all wrapped up in what you do, rather than who you are.. I need to know that I'll be fine despite not Tri-ing or running you know?

I go back Thursday for a follow up on the Liver enzyme tests and next steps will be determined on the liver cysts from there... ALl I can do is pray and hope for the best..

Ride safely all.

Still Resting

I have a nice blue smurfish cast from almost my right underarm all the way around my wrist onmyy right arm. The head of my radial bone is broken. Nice right? I am getting up off the couch which is good. I managed to sit 2 hours on the patio today. It was blazing hot out. Tomorrow my mom and gram are coming to visit over night which is cool. I am kind of sad. I am pretty much not Tri=ing this year. I had a good race at white lake, and I guess once I can walk okay again I'll slowly start running... as in my heart I am a runner. I can commence the season w/ the HFD Marathon as always.. and be good to go from there... it certainly frees up my social life (kidding)---but this is exactly why your identity can't be all wrapped up in what you do, rather than who you are.. I need to know that I'll be fine despite not Tri-ing or running you know?

I go back Thursday for a follow up on the Liver enzyme tests and next steps will be determined on the liver cysts from there... ALl I can do is pray and hope for the best..

Ride safely all.

Puncture Wounds and Hairline Fractures

I have suffered my first ever biker versus road accident and sustained some serious enough injuries so I need take a break. I have had the brakes puncture my abdomen, internal bruising and potential hairline fractures in my right elbow.
I was driving down the road and a teal colored ford taurus wagon drove a little too close to me...i swerved to the right at 26 miles an hour... my front wheel got stuck between the road and the curb and needless to say I flew with my bike and my handlebars all jammed up in me.
I now am on my couch on percosets with a leaking puncture wound to my abdomen.
Cheers!

Trials and Tribulations

Do you ever feel like you go and go and go and then CRASH?That's recently happened to me. I raced 1/2 IM WHiteLake well and started to realize I was having trouble breathing. The Sunday and Monday following White Lake I stuck to my regular IM training schedule and I woke up on Tuesday morning having difficulty talking. I went to see my PCP who prescribed 5 meds.. anti-biotics, inhalers and the like and advised I to go the ER if the condition didn't change. It didn't change and I ended up with 2 days of breathing treatments, a diagnosis of Acute Asthmatic Bronchitis, Prednizone, and IV steriods. I am seeing a Pulmonologist. I have been advised to not follow through this year with IM WISCONSIN. I was devasted at that news. I do understand that I have the rest of my life.
I have been training this week normally. I swam for the first time last night in 2 weeks. I did a nice 2000 yards easily, but the cholorine KILLS my breathing...
MOre to come.

White Lake 1/2 IM Race Report

I would do this race again in a heartbeat. It was amazingly well organized. The people were extremely nice, the participants were extremely nice. The only slightly negative aspect was the parking at the race site. I was under the impression they would begin to let finishers out at 1:00pm and they didn’t let anyone out until 3:00pm, which for me was not so great because I had a 10 hour ride home.

The race itself:

Packet pick up was smooth and organized Friday night. Got all my info and was ready to go.

I arrived at the race site at 5:30am. My swim wave went off at 7:25am, but I had plenty of time to swim beforehand to get warmed up. The water was about 72 and beautiful. You could see the bottom it was so clear. The swim course was clearly marked.. 3 buoy’s out, a diamond and three in. Climb up the ladder (didn’t love this part) and into T1.

The bike course was great for about 40 miles. Newly paved and amazing. ( I managed to pull a 2:45 on the bike which I was pleased with.) The last 16 miles were more challenging. The road was full of seams and we did a turn around at a dead end cul de sac on roads that were very bumpy. All in all it was fine.

The run was my least favorite of run courses… an out and back TWICE!!! I love loops. There was a TON of cytomax, water, oranges, hammergel…whatever you wanted. The aid stations were close together and you were really never more than .75 mile from any…

I finished in 5:11:37. 15th overall. 5th in my age group.

Grinding Through

I didn't want to bike tonight or tRun... I did it and feel better for it. I did a 22m bike average 18.4mph and a 4 mile trun at a 7:30 pace... I didn't push and just got through... Somehow that felt important.. I am going on 7 days, none off. I am planning nothing optional tomorrow night, just a 3500 yard swim and some grocery shopping!! How's that for catching up on real life..
I am heading south in a few days for White lake 1/2 IM.. I am very much using it to gauge where I am at. I will do Timberman in August right before IM WI....

It's funny what lack of sleep will do to you.. I am totally fried right now.. the last 2 nights I didn't get too much sleep.. some tossing and turning with a crazy knot on the lower part of my neck... doesn't bode well... I was a out of sorts today..or maybe rather just out of it!!

I am looking to get to sleep on the early side tonight to be rested up for the day tomorrow. I don't want another one like today

The Countdown

http://ironmanwisconsin.com/wisclock.html

Into Week 6 and off to White Lake 1/2 IM

Into week 6 and Off To White Lake 1/2 Ironman

This past weekend was incredible. The weather was in the high sixties and
just amazing for outdoor endurance work. On Saturday I headed out around
noon and clocked just under 75 miles on my bike.. It's my longest ride to
record and I averaged in the low 18mph.. I was happy with that.. I was
averaging 20.4 for the first 40 and then hit an incredible head wind...
which is not impossible on the Madison course. I followed that with a 20
minute transition run during which I averaged a 7:55 min mile.. I was also
very happy with that... All in all the experience lessened the ambivalence I
was having regarding the IM... STill have 18.5 weeks until that time... I'll
be okay.

SUnday I was slated to run 100 minutes.. I ran 12.8 miles. I ran 9 of the
miles at a 7:35 pace and 3.5 around an 8:20.. Hills caused this.. My legs
held up fine after a day like Saturday... I was happy. I feel very positive
going into White Lake.

I am heading down Thursday after one last run... This is technically a
recovery week, so the distance is exactly what I should be doing at that
time.

More to come on White Lake... I am thrilled.

Tonight was an easy 5.2 mile run.. recovery.. much needed for these legs. I followed that with a 60 minute circuit workout and then 3500 yards in the pool.... I am headed of to sleep right now.. but it was a good day!

Into Week 5

Into Week 5
I am enjoying endurance much more than I thought I would. It's weird... My body is very used to fast twitch activities.. but what I am finding is that I am going long, fast. I didn't think that that would be the way this turned out.. but somehow it is working...
On Friday I did killer speedwork... a descending set of 8/7/6/5/ at a 6:35 with a 3 min recovery between each at an 8:00... It felt fantastic.
Saturday I did a 53 mile ride in 3 hrs followed by a 2.5 mile T run at an 8:30 pace.. It was raining. I was cold... and my legs were kind of cooked...
Sunday I did 10.25 at a 7:41 which I was completely stoked about given the fact that my legs were definitely fried from the weekend...This is my first attempt a endurance training... like I said, I am a comfortable sprint racer.
Tonight I have a 5m run easy/circuit training and the swim:

Monday April 24, 2006
Warm Up

500 freestyle
5x100---on 15 seconds rest
Main set
200—30 seconds rest after
8x100---10 seconds
200—30 seconds rest after
6x100—10 seconds
200---30 seconds rest after
4x100—10 secondes rest
Cool Down
8x25 on 5 sec rest
Total yards: 3600

Life is good. Tri Harder!

Time Flies When...

And so it goes... coming off my weekly rest day... and oh how I love them and hate them all at the same time..Tonight is speedwork.
15 minutes warm up at 7:45/mileDescending set of8/7/6/5m at a 6:35 with 3m at 8:00m/mile in between eachand a cool down of 7:45
I will do some lifting.
It is amazing how time passes.. for all those who have done IMAZ 2 weeks ago.. THANK YOU!! I have gotten innumerable pieces of wisdom.. I am headed down to the White Lake 1/2 IM for May6th.. I am thrilled for that race.. It's such a great way to open the season..
I am hoping this will be a good year for me.. Looking forward to a hard core long weekend of training.

Starting Week 4

I love a Monday when I come off of a great training weekend.. the weather was nice and I am definitely starting to feel the results of the endurance training. This was a recovery weekend for me so I did a 40 mile bike on Saturday in about 2 hours and a 9.15 mile run in 70 minutes on Sunday.... The pace felt easy and doeable in the nice warm weather..

Tonight I begin week four of the IM training program--Things look like they are getting more challenging.

The swim is:

Warm Up 4x300

Main set
16x25 (5 sec rest between)
500 easy
1 minute rest
16x25 (5 sec rest between)
400 freestyle easy
1 minute rest
16x25 (5 sec rest between)

Cooldown
300 easy

Total yards: 3600

5 M Tempo Run------------
------------CIrcuit Lifting..

ask me how i feel tomorrow!

Advice from IM AZ

http://www.performancetrainingsystems.com/blog/2006/04/lessons-learned.html

Week 3 ALready!!

I am nearing the end of week three and I am still feeling strong. I continue to do 2 circuit lifting workouts a week. I am swimming between 7500-8000 yards a week. Running about 40 and biking almost 150. This is where I am supposed to be right now and enjoying it... The funny thing is how hungry I am all the time now... I eat and eat and eat. It feels good.
I have been able to traing outside more than inside, which I am loving. This weekend's long workouts are not so long as it is a recovery week. I am pretty psyched and will be heading with my spouse to MD on Saturday for an overnight visit to her parents. I hope to get a decent longish run in the nicer weather.
Till next timeT

And so it goes..

And so it goes.. last night's workout rocked.. I did a nice 20mile ride followed by a hard core T run of 4.25 miles.. The run was fast 7 min/miles. I was happy with that for a T-run.. I am bordering on a 6:53 so I am trying to bring it under.. just hard to do with such fatigued legs.I have joined a nice yahoo group and have met cool people who are also doing IM's. It's cool to have that resource, as I don't know too many people that I can chat with about IM's... and I am in desperate need of trying to understand the experience.
It goes well. I am going south this weekends so I am pretty excited to get a nice long 65-70 mile ride in where it is pretty warm!!

Been A While

It's been a while since I have sat down to write.... Things are great. I am doing the "24 Weeks to Ironman" program. I am in week 2 and it is going amazingly. I am really having a blast with it. It is amazing that the weather has held up for me. My bike is getting a tune up right now. I am worried that the frame is cracked becaue it is doing a lot of squeaking and I rode some 1500 miles on the trainer this winter.. we'll see. I go get her tomorrow. The running is killer.. I am running faster splits than ever.
I have met a Guy at the pool who has been helping me with my pull.. all in all it goes well. funny though.. i am hungry all the time and my hours per day haven' t really changed all that much..
I am so psyched for IM wisconsin...

With A Little Help from My Friends

Life is so much about giving back.. the same can be said about tri's. I remember 5 years ago when I knew nothing and all I could muster was 25 yards down the pool, a few choice words and I was done.
Tonight my buddies came by and they are all set to start training for their first tri.. so much zest and life.. it keeps me going. We wrote out a 20 week training schedule, of course with room for modification.. it took 2 hours, and those 2 hours were full of so much fun and laughter. All I know is what I have learned from those that have gone before me... that's what I have to pass along.
My training is right on par.. my swimming has gotten mad fast and my running as well. I will say due to over 150 miles a week, my biking has improved. Biking will never be my strongest, but as long as I keep getting better what more can I really ask for??

Tonight i ran 11 at about a 740... which was fine by me.. I was just crusing along... life is good.. really really good.

Catching up

It's been a while since I have posted... Things are really moving along for me... My runs are faster than ever and my BMI is down to just under 11%, which for I girl, I'm pretty happy with. I am still working with my weight trainer and we've moved back into endurance lifting. I can't wait for the season to begin. I am looking at New Jersey Devilman for 5/6/06.. why not open the season with a 1/2 IM? I'm biking well over 100 miles a week and swimming 8000 yards a week while running close to 40 miles. I am in tip top shape and am feeling supergood about it. I'll keep you all posted.. but things are really progressing well.

Sinus Infections and Speedwork..

Just do not naturally go together... I finally went to the doc after a 3 week cold... fever came and that was that.. no sleep.. anxiety, anger.. Just plain ole tired. So they gave me pills. I am on day three of five.. Feeling a bit better, but have been out of touch. I had a crappy workout week last week... but i worked out.. junk miles if you ask me. Tonight I tried to do speedwork and boy did that not go well...but I did it and almost fainted... I am going to cozy up and read.. the in laws are visiting.. which has been nice so far.. More when I feel better.

And so it goes...

An awesome weekend workout wise so far... Friday night I did a personal training session followed by an 8 mile run in a little less than an hour... it was sweet.
Today I cycled about 45 and took a nice long walk outside.. What a day it was.. this week is a recovery week hence the lack of a T run... it was nice though..
Each workout this weekend was killer and awesome.. I can feel myself being stronger and stronger.. IM Wisconsin HERE I COME!!!
It dawned on me today that I am doing an Ironman... not doing an IM in the sense that.. DOOM I am doing an Ironman, but it dawned on me that I believe in myself enough to know I can train for and do well....

Thursday

It's been a week. A good one.. I did a great 37oo yards in the pool on Weds as well as a 20mile bike ride... I felt great. Tonight is my night off (school) and I CANNOT wait to do my 9 miles of running tomorrow night preceeded by a personal training session.. Today is one of those great days where I love being a triathlete.

I caught the cold..

Colds go around and normally I avoid them... sometimes I catch glimpses.. but I got it.... I am a pitiful lump. I did bike 21 and run 3 as a t run tonight.. decent pace too, but as soon as I was finished... DONE. I showered and am heading to bed. IT'S 8PM.. what in the name of things???
I'm out.. nothing more right now.

Ruptured cysts and spinning class

Well.. it's been an interesting sort of time these last few... Yesterday I managed to get in 10.5 miles. Saturday I ruptured an ovarian cyst... It's happened before.. painful and gross, but somehow I remain propelled to go forward and not stop.. I figure if I can walk i can swim and bike and run.. who knows..
So i got my run in yesterday and it was fine 8min pace.. I decided not to push it .. Today I pushed it running 5.25 at a 6:53ish...It was a nice run and then I spun.. Brian had to cancel our personal training session because he already had a long workday and needed a break...Federal HOlidays are odd.. the mail doesnt' come. I Love Getting Mail.. The world slows a bit and I LOVE FAST... It was an off sort of day and tonight the cyst pain is still here and I know I know I ran too fast and should not have done spinning, but I'll always be me and won't stop.
Tomorrow I have to get up at 5 for an hour drive to a meeting and an hour drive back to my office... It'll be nice thought.
Until tomorrow.

SUNDAY...

What a weekend... It is snowing out... a think coating on the world..beautiful, though not terribly conducive to an 11 mile run.Hmm.. Treadmill it might be because I am not skipping it. Yesterday I did a 60+ mile ride and a 2 mile T run in the pouring rain.. It was 50 out in the dead of winter.. LOVED IT. Today I will run.. somewhere somehow I will run.

My sister and they guy she is marrying are coming down for the evening and I am thrilled about that. She's yet to come to my place so I am psyched. I am sure there will be endless wedding chatter, but it will be great to be beside them.

More later.

The weekends are for...

Long long long workouts.. I love it... LOVE IT.. it's funny how that evolved. I did tris for a few years.. sprints.. I was pretty successful and hit a plateau of.. well, I go longer or don't go. So I didn't go for 10 months and missed it horribly. I had some friends that continued to be encouraging for those 10 months and I fnally came back..i've been back for last season and naturally this year and I am happier than ever. Years back I hated LONG... 25 miles was my max bike ride and today i'll do 60... happily and that even feels kind of short. I zone and love every second of it..So today i go 60 bike and 3-4 run as a T run. It's wonderful, but right now I am drinking morning coffee and surfing the net and all in all having a pretty reflective day... My house is silent.. i have it to myself for the next 8 hours!!! Take advantage of that.. getting things done.. thinking... riding you know how it goes.. It's a love affair with triathlon...Sweet...less than 8 mos until IM Wisconsin.. and less than 4 until Devilman in NJ.. Loving it.
More later.

the end of a rest day

It's funny... I am off on Thursdays... I have school. On Wednesday nights I cannot wait until a day off and on my day off I cannot wait until I can workout again.. It's an odd phenomena... I am tired today.. very very tired...coming down with the 2 day cold that everyone seems to have, despite overloading on C and zinc.
The weekend is upon us...I love it... long hardcore workouts.
More tomorrow... It's time for bed.

I'm sorry I'm married...

Triathlete's are obsessive people.. they just are.. who else can swim bike run for hours on end and then write about it as my friend KP would so happily point out today??? I biked on the stationary for 75 minutes. I ran 4 miles as a T run after that and then I cooled down and did some abs. There was a guy on the stationary bike as I finished abs and I recognized him from the pool last night. He is an awesome swimmer... I figured we could chat. I went up to him on the bike and asked him if he was in the pool last night. Indeed he was... I asked him if he was a triathlete.. because afterall triathletes can talk all night to triathletes they don't even know about triathlon... he said he sorta was... he was getting back into it... I went on conversing and he said, I'm sorry but I'm married... and I said I'm sorry but I am a lesbian.. HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to chat...All in a day's workout I guess...

Today was a good one.

Moving forward

Day eight was good. I feel happy and D*R*I*V*E*N... I swam 1.5 miles ,ran 5.5 miles and had a session with my trainer... LEGS, who just got his heart broken by a girl... he deserves better. He's a good guy.
The weekend was awesome... I did 50 miles on the trainer and 11 outside in AWESOME weather.. it was fantastic... I am so stoked for this race.. the Ironman, but also stoked for a 1/2 coming up in May... I just wanna race.. so badly...
You only get one shot...

and on the fourth day

Day 4--Let there Be Rest
I, like most triathletes, need the rest, but don't want it.. my body is
wrecked this week and all I want to do is run.. thank god for school, or i'd
be out there running my little self into the ground.. to what end I ask?
So today is about rest. Letting my mind rest and my body rest and eating
awesome vegetarian, gluten free cuisine. I have altered my morning routine.
Instead of getting up at 6 and having a relaxing morning drinking coffee,
checking email, watching the news... I am taking the hour of extra sleep,
grabbing a cup of joe to go and feeling a bit more rested... best choice in
the long run I think... especially upping the training.
Not much else to report. Same old which is good. Rest.. and on the fourth
day she rested.

Day Three (how original)

Today is day three of my pseudo training program (which I forgot to write, doesn't start until March)--I did 18 miles on the stationary bike tonight (can't wait to get outside) and 1+ miles in the pool and my right shoulder started to fry... I had pain monday night, but didn't pay too much attention to it and tonight it was not great... I guess that's why it's called adaptation... I am adapting.. and pretty miserably tonight... but nonetheless adapting.
Tomorrow is a day off... I have school. I am in grad school getting a master's in management...
It's all good. I am so PSYCHED to run 8 on Friday.. I cannot wait!

Day 2

Day 2 seems even more random than day 1... I am a heavy runner, so to eliminate any foot miles is KILLING ME, but I know that those before me used this program so I will follow it. I biked 16.5 miles and ran 3.5 as a transition run. All in all it was decent. I ran at a nice clip.. funny thing is that I ALWAYS run better after a bike.. it's strange, but true. Not much else today... Just getting into the groove.. trying to stick to what today was and not get freaked out by another long pool workout scheduled for tomorrow..
Later.

Day One--IM WISCONSIN

Sometimes even I don't understand what makes me tick... I am doing Ironman Wisconsin on September 10th 2006. I am following the 24 weeks to Ironman, but doing the adaptation phase twice before I really do it.
I work well with structure and I figure that I work out every day anyway.. so why not put some rhyme and reason to it...

Day 1
I did strength training with Brian, my trainer. He's awesome.
I ran 5 and swam 3000 yards. This is a pretty average workout for me anyway, but today it broke out a little funny.

I did my 35 minutes of strength with Brian. Legs.
I got paged by work and LEFT the YMCA and went home and dialed into work and then came BACK to the Y to run and swim.

The swim... my goggles and cap accidentally got left in my "shower" bag that has my shampoo and conditioner... I didn't realize it until I was on my 2nd lap of 120 and my eyes were burning like there was a fire in my goggles..
The shampoo leaked into my goggles.

That's how it all started, but somehow I am excited to be on the path to 9/10/2006... it's all I have wanted for a long time... More tomorrow. I'm pretty wiped.