better late than never

So I started this post several weeks ago, got interrupted and then really got interrupted- by company, holidays, school vacation, my birthday (such a fun party- should have been there), and New Years.  But here I am now- back again and here's the post, only a few weeks later......



A few weeks ago I spoke with someone about working with a nutritionist.  Two of the things he told me he was  doing was taking fish oil supplements and drinking more water.  I can go without the fish oil- but you look at any health and fitness article about diet and at the top of the list is to drink more water.  It's as basic as you get.

Well (said the little voice in my head) I can do that.  I have done that in the past, and it would be an easy thing to get back to.  Not exactly.  Really?  Drinking water- how hard can it be, right?  Looking back at the last few weeks, I don't think I've increased my water intake  for more than three days in a row.  Pathetic.

So this may seem like a trivial challenge, but I can certainly increase my water intake.  So I'll be drinking at least 3 water bottles/day (my water bottles are about 20 ounces) aside from what I'm drinking during exercise.  Exercise.... now that's a whole other topic.......

Highs and Lows

I had a couple highs and a definite low in my training/workouts recently.

Let's get the worst over with-  I haven't been able to get out on my bike in weeks between family, work, weather, etc.  So my mom offered to watch the kids so I could go out on some trails the Saturday before Thanksgiving.  I had been on these trails before, but my mom suggested some loops she had done that were new for me.  First loop- no problem.  Second loop- disaster.  I found myself getting off and walking through sections that I could have ridden two months ago.  And to make matters worse, I assumed my mother had been able to ride through more of the trail than I did.  Hard to take when I think my mom's better at mountain biking than I am.  Needless to say there was swearing and tears in the middle of the woods and when I got back, I let my mom know exactly what I thought of her trail- "That sucked!".  Ahem....I did eventually calm down and it turns out she walked much of the second loop that I was frustrated with.  But trust me- definitely a low.

And now on a more positive note-  Our family did a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving and since my kids and husband were together and with friends, I was able to run on my own.  Without training for the race and considering I started on very cold legs, I was very pleased with my 8:22 pace.  Secondly, I've been loving a bootcamp class 1x/week this fall.  You know the class is tough when there's more boys than girls taking it.  This last week the instructor told us to pick up some 8 or 10-pound weights.  Typically, girls picked up 8 and boys picked up 10. The instructor singled me out and told me to get the 10-pounds- yeehaw!  As she led us through some fantastic one-leg deadlifts, some of the very-fit-looking boys fatigued before me.  So pumped!  :)

So there's room for improvement on the mountain bike- no doubt.

But I'm faster and stronger- in fact, to tell you the truth- I am very strong.  And I am pretty proud of that.

Getting Closer

I was on such a roll.  Getting lots of workouts in each week, increasing my swim and run times (ok, not so much on the bike....) but feeling really good about my fitness.  And then a glitch- or rather, a couple of glitches.

I was traveling last week and didn't have control over my own schedule while I was away, so I only got a few 30 min workouts done in a hotel fitness closet  (ahem) room.  But I was ready to get back on track as soon as I got home- ready and motivated.

Until my foot started to feel funny.  No gory details here, but the short story is that I've hobbled around w/ blisters on my foot for a few days after going barefoot through airport security.  And I'd guess those "antimicrobial mats" I stood on weren't germ-free.  Enough said.  So week #2 is a loss.  Or is it?

Everyone gets injured, sick, sidetracked.  Instead of being frustrated and beating myself up I realized this is a great opportunity to focus on something else.  Food perhaps?  Not just eating, but what and how?  I've heard different experts in the fitness industry suggest that working out is about being fit and strong.  But to really get lean you need to focus on your eating- the quality and quantity.  Not so easy with two kids hanging onto their Halloween candy.

Rewind briefly to a telephone call a few months ago when I was complaining about my weight and the person I was talking with, who knows me much too well, said "Kim, you know exactly why you're not losing weight".  And you know, I do know.  I know the information- I've studied it for years.  But as many of us know all to well, making it happen day-to-day is a different story.  I keep getting closer to losing the emotional connection to food and instead making smart choices that honors my body and where I want to be.  So no, I didn't log in workouts this week.  But I did drink more water, snacked less, and ate more slowly.  Getting closer every day.

Xterra wetsuit

I've done half a dozen triathlons and the swim leg has always been a challenge.  The first time I did an open water swim years ago, I panicked.  I couldn't believe the difference from swimming in a pool where I could see the nice tiled stripe along the bottom leading me to the wall where I could touch and take a good breath before the next length.  That's a far cry from swimming past fish, through seaweed growing from the bottom, and staring into dark nothingness.  And then I tried a friends' wetsuit and was again surprsied.  The buoyancy of the wetsuit was wonderful.  I haven't done a race without a wetsuit since- even though I didn't own one myself.  I've been fortunate to have a generous neighbor who lets me borrow his suit for races.

Until now....I just purchased an Xterra Vector Pro wetsuit. Well, technically my parents are purchasing it as a Christmas gift but I ordered it and tried it out last week in the pool to check the fit.  I think I'm in love.  I harly had to do anything- I think the suit actually kicked a little for me.  The few laps I did seemed so effortless.  And I didn't need to perform any circus acts to get it on like spraying myself with Pam or using plastic bags.  Now, maybe that means I could have gone a size smaller but it felt good swimming, so I'm happy.

I'm looking forward to my open water swims next year, and that's the first time I've ever said that!

Putting myself out there

The past six months have created a big shift for me.  If you've read my previous entrys, you've read about some of the limiting beliefs I had and how I'm moving beyond them.  This summer was more about exercising for a race.  It allowed me to see myself differently. 
I am one of the fast girls- at least I can be, if I do the work.  And training for races instead of exercising to manage my weight has been liberating and much more fun.

I certainly like the racing and training.  But can I fit it in with family and other priorities?  Well, my answer is yes. 

A very wise person told me that by blogging about my experience, I am putting myself out there.  Making my journey and goals known will help me stay committed to them and enable me to see them through.  So here you go- nothing flashy, just putting myself out there.

This fall I'm increasing my endurance through longer running distances.  I've adopted some of the recommendations from reading Chi Running, which have been very helpful.  My runs are more relaxed, yet I'm going longer and faster.  Not a bad combination. 
I'm not getting out on my bike as much a I'd like to, and I know I will need to address that in the spring more.
I've also been able to get to a bootcamp class 1x/week and bought a new fitness DVD- both of which kick my butt.  Feels good to have some sore muscles and know I'm getting stronger.
So that's it for now- a quick synopsis on the past few months.  But I'll be posting again in another week or so.

Three months later.....

Well, a lot's happened since my last entry three months ago....

I discovered how difficult the Xterra race was going to be and went through a 2-week crash course (with some real crashes) for mountain biking at Storrs Pond.  During those two weeks, there were a few panicked calls to Brett for reassurance that I wasn't in over my head.  I was very anxious when I realized there was a lot more technical single track than I previously thought and I couldn't even figure out where the race course was with all of the connecting trails.  Fortunately, I was able to bike with Brett and Tam the week before the race, which also helped tremendously. 

I completed my first Xterra race at Storrs Pond in early August.  I felt great on the swim- got into a good rhythm early and came out feeling surprisingly pleased.  The bike course was slick after a rainy night, so I was slower than expected and walked more than I had on training rides.  But I did it all, and I was happy with that.  In fact, I was so happy to be done with the bike, I started running out of T2 with my bike shoes still on.  Duh!  Had to go back and get my running shoes on for the last part....The run was tough, but doable and I only stopped twice for a few seconds on one of the uphills.
Tavyn handed me Gatorade at T2 and Brenna was there with lots of cheering for me.  I finished with a time that I was expecting and was second in my age group.  And most important?  I had pushed and stretched myself waaaay out of my comfort zone training for this race and I completed a race I was proud of.  I was pushed physically and mentally- and apparently emotionally since there were a few tears shed after the race. 

So after being extremely grateful the Xterra race was done, I began to look at the next step.....
Where am I going from here?  Tune into to the next time.....

Feeling good

I realized yesterday I hadn't posted about my race on Sunday- so here you go.

Let me start by saying I didn't meet my goals of 1:20 time or placing in my age groups.  But that's just incidental.  My time was 1:22, which is 6 min faster than when I did the same race 7 years ago.  If I was a year older and in a different age group, I would have placed.  (But I don't want to be closer to turning 4- that much.)  And considering I have 2 kids now and family commitments, then I'm very happy.

Here's the rundown:  Despite being really nervous the week before, I was pretty relaxed in the several days leading up to the race.  That is, until 5 minutes before the start.  I was in the 3rd of 4 waves of swimmers.  The swim was the most uncomfortable part of the race.  I just wanted it to be done.  But I only went to breaststroke twice to get re-oriented when I had several people right around me.  Was able to run out of the water and get through the transition quickly.

I was surprised how fast I went on the bike.  I pegged a couple people ahead of me to try and keep up with, and after a couple miles went ahead and passed them.  I was in a small group the whole ride, and was pleased at how well I could keep up.  And because everyone had their age written on their left calf, I could see who was in my age group and who wasn't.  One woman, the same age as me, had a tri-bike, aerodynamic helmet, and a very fit body- I was able to stay with her until a long hill at mile 12.  Even then, I was happy I had done all the hill repeats as I powered up the hill.

Transition to run was fine- I was tired, but I appreciated all the bricks I had done.  I wish I was just a little faster on the run.  I decided to try and stay with another woman just ahead of me who was my age.  She kept me going a bit faster than I may have done on my own.  I was hoping to pass her at the end, but couldn't quite pull that off.  I did narrow the gap.  She must have known I was there b/c as soon as we crossed the finish line, she turned and shook my hand. 

And my cheering section was the best.  Donny, Tavyn, and Brenna gave me high-fives on the run and were fantastic.  My dad was there as well since my mom did the race.  She did a great job.  

So lessons learned?

I am pretty fast- and next year I'll be faster.

Have electrolyte-drink on the bike.  Since it wasn't a long race, I only had water and my legs were cramping a bit at the end of the bike.  Could I have passed my running friend w/ a little more energy?  Who knows.

Spend more time in open water swims so I'm more comfortable with it.

You know, there were more 'lessons learned" but I can't think of them right now.  And quite frankly, I need to go wake kids up, head to work, and train for the next race.  But that's a different post....

Catch Up Post & Almost There

I've realized I was behind on posting blogs.  And then I realized how behind I've gotten when one of my loyal readers (that would be 1 of all 3 of my readers) wondered when I'd post something again.  Aaaaah, I feel so flattered and important to have such a loyal following.  And before I build up my ego too much, here's what's happened in the past few weeks.

Last time I wrote, I was deciding to go gluten-free and sugar free in an attempt to slim down a bit.  And I'm still going strong.  Yep, I've taken my kids out for ice cream, made them s'mores camping last week, bought them candy at the movie theater, and eaten out at a really elegant restaurant (including watching my husband eat his amazing dessert)- all without sugar and bread.  Admittedly, I've had a few more diet cokes than I normally would considering I gave up soda a couple years ago.  But I gotta have something, right?  And did I slim down the first week?  Nope- not a bit.  Because someone can eat the best quality foods and if it's still more calories in than out, not much will improve.

So I'm still working on it....but since I don't need to ramble about the saga of my waistline, let's get back to the race.

Two days til the first race.  Last week I called Brett in a panic b/c I was sure I wasn't ready and 10 days before the race I was already incredibly nervous.  Also- through this blog and conversations w/ friends, I've made my goals rather public.  And who wants to fail and have everyone know about it?  Not me.  Fortunately, Brett doesn't beat around the bush and gave me the pep talk I needed.  And now two days to go and I'm pretty relaxed.  The butterflies are there, but it's a quiet flutter.

We planned on camping two nights at the state park where the race is in order to avoid a crazy-early drive w/ two young kids.  After camping last week and realizing I felt like s--t Sunday morning, I realized that wasn't the smartest choice.  So now we're camping one night w/ an air mattress.....luxury camping w/ an air mattress.  Especially since I don't even take a pillow when I camp.

So I'm feeling pretty good about the race.  I will be fast- how fast, I have no idea.  But regardless of how I do, I will learn a great deal about how to do it better the next time.

The next time?  Yeah, that's only three weeks away, the course is longer and harder, and Brett and Tam will be there for it.  Even better, Tam's in the same race.  Nothing like a challenge- right?  Right.

A bit of rambling....

So it was recommended to me to post daily on my new gluten-free, sugar-free commitment- I'm assuming for accountability and to stay focused.  But that could be pretty tedious for all of my dozens of readers....ok, three of them, all of which are related to me and one's my husband.  He HAS to read my stuff- it's just part of that marriage deal.

So I may not post every day- but I will more often.  The past two days have included sitting w/ my kids while they eat M&M cookies, ice cream, and sweet popcorn- lovely.  Thank goodness for my iced coffee.  I have done two days so far and although I've certainly missed certain foods, it hasn't been terrible yet.  (I'm not looking forward to camping next week w/ another family complete w/ s'mores, etc...but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.)

What I realized yesterday is that this GFSF way of eating is also a modified Adkins diet of 20 years ago.  I'm eating protein, lots of veggies and fruit.  Some grains- but not alot, obviously.  So it's not exactly like Adkins, but it certainly feels similar.

Fortunately, there are lots of GF foods out there and after a trip to the store last night I have plenty of rice cakes, corn tortillas, bean chips, and quinoa.  Doesn't that all sound yummy?  That's ok-it'll all be worth it in the end.

OK- enough rambling for now....

Getting serious

OK- so had a conversation with Brett tonight that boiled down to this:
Me:  I know I'm exercising in order to compete in an event, and that's been a great shift from exercising in order to manage my weight.  But I did kind of assume with all of this exercise that my pants would be a little looser.  That's not happening.....what do you think?

Brett:  Why aren't you slimming down?

Me:  Because I'm taking in too many calories and I haven't paid too much attention to my diet.

Fortunately Brett didn't say "Ok dummy- this is not rocket science to figure out...."

No, instead we talked about motivations about food, training, and what I really want.  And then when I did ask him to be straight and tell me what he thought, I heard the dreaded words:
"Sugar-free and gluten-free".

Oh god.

Well I asked for his opinion and that's what I got.  The thing is, I take Brett's recommendations about training and food pretty seriously.  And I want to kick some butt in my races this summer.  So you know what that means...

Yep, no sugar and gluten for the next 5 weeks.

And since I decided to start tomorrow since I had already committed to having dessert w/ some friends tonight, I thoroughly enjoyed the spinach artichoke dip and cappuccino mousse cake tonight.  :)

It was delicious.

A compliment....sort of

I've been meaning to post this and it's just now getting to the top of my priority list.  Last weekend one of my workouts was to ride Chieftan Hill (which is a steep, 2-3 min hill) 8 times.  I'd done it a few times before, but not that many.

Someone who knows Brett asked me about my workout and when I told her I needed to do Chieftan 8 times, her immediate response was, "He's trying to kill you!".  Now, I'm sure Brett's not trying to kill me.  However, I did take some pride in the fact that I was doing a very tough workout and would live to tell (or post) about it.

And not only did I do it, I've done it a second time since then....followed by a run.  So he hasn't killed me yet.

Be careful what you ask for....

So I expressed to Brett my concern about doing the Xterra triathlon in August.  The distances are much longer than I realized when I started training.  His response?  Do it.  Yes, it will be tough but you'll be able to do it and after all- it's right in your back yard.  (Well, not exactly- but only 15 min away.  Pretty convenient for training.)

So I'm trusting him that I'll be ready if I do his program.  But I was wondering when I was going to do more with the training.  Where were the brick workouts, speedwork, intervals?  I wanted something a little more specific that I could grab onto.

Be careful what you ask for....

Brett didn't know I was thinking these ambitious thoughts and yet when I saw my training program for this week, I gulped and wondered "how the hell am I going to fit this in?".

And yet, I did it.  I ran for an hour on hilly trails in 80 degrees (need to remember the gatorade next time), ran 5 miles on a track, got out on my mountain bike (great ride w/ my 6 year old), and did a brick workout.  None of which I had done in the past 2-3 of years.

Some of it was hard.  But I could do all of it.  And it gave me some confidence that maybe I can do the Xterra race.  Don't get me wrong- I've got a long ways to go.  But I was pleased to see what I could do after two months of training.

And I'm looking forward to what I'll be able to do in another two months.

Something's gotta give

May 28th

This week I went a little light on the training.  Not because I had to, but because something had to give.

We had a neighborhood yard sale this weekend and I am cleaning house.  Strollers, refrigerator, clothes, furniture- and any clutter that I can get rid of went out into the garage.  And my motto?  Once it's out, it's not coming back in.  So I spent hours this week organizing and preparing- including for four other friends whose cast-offs I agreed to sell.  Throw in everything else and I just couldn't get it all done.

I was a little nervous that I was losing ground with the training and then I had a reality check.  I am training for a triathlon.  But that's not all.  I also work, raise kids, cook, garden, and do whatever else needs doing.  And some weeks it just can't all fit into my day.  So this week with the yardsale, something had to give.  And it was the training.

Fortunately, my swims are already built into my work days, so I got those in.  And then a couple short runs and a strength DVD.  That's it- it's not much.  But wow- am I motivated to get back to it once I get through this weekend.

And the yardsale?  Yep- made some money and anything that didn't sell is not coming back into the house.  Instead, I have a cluttered garage.

Biting off more than I can chew....perhaps.

Yep, feeling a little nervous.  OK, I'll admit it- downright anxious
and scared.  You know, that lump-in-the-throat,
what-did-I-get-myself-into feeling.

Although most of my focus has been on my first race in July, I'm also
planning on doing an Xterra triathlon race three weeks after that on
August 7th.  So I spent a little time on the website last night.  Not
sure that was a good idea.

First of all, the distances are a bit longer than what I realized.
Maybe I should have looked a little more closely.  Hmmmm- small
detail.

Secondly, the most I've been on my mountain bike in the past 7 years
is on the bike trainer in my parents' basement this past month.  To
say my mountain biking skills are rusty is a gross understatement.
And even my mountain bike- it's the most basic, heavy model with no
suspension.  Not exactly light and easy to handle.

To add to it, my sister-in-law will be competing in the same race.
Now, I'm not worried about competing with her because she is soooo out
of my league that it's actually funny to me that we'll be in the same
race.  This is the girl that will be competing in the World's
Championship Xterra race in Maui this fall.  Yeah, all I'll see of her
is her body diving into the water when the race starts.

To put it frankly, I have no idea what I'm doing entering an
Xterra race.  Except my brother, Brett, told me I could do it.  Ha-
we'll see.  But since it's his training plan that I'm following, he
better know what he's talking about.  (No pressure, Brett.)  
Because right now, my mountain bike is still sitting in the basement.

Something better than ice cream?

5/21/11


Training's going pretty well.  I'm actually putting in a little more
time than what my weekly plan is, which I'm very pleased about.

Here are a couple things I've already learned through this process:

1.  Training for an event is completely different than exercising in
order to lose or manage my weight.  It's still exercise.  But the
motivation and intention is completely different.  It's actually very
refreshing to not have the burden of a workout looming over me just to
avoid more of a muffin top.  There's always the motivation of losing
weight, but you know what?  I did that.  Two years ago I was down at a
weight that I didn't even realize I could get to.  It was fantastic
for that summer- and then it came back on.  Like it often does.  But
training for a race, I'm less concerned about my weight.  The
intention for my workouts is bigger and so much better than
dissatisfaction with my body.  And believe me, it's far more
enjoyable.

2.  There are things better than ice cream.  As spring is sloooowly
moving into summer, my two kids are on constant lookout for the OPEN
sign at our local ice cream stand.  And even though I'm happy to treat
them, I've actually been happy to not have ice cream myself.  Because
being fast in a race is actually more attractive to me than a twist
with sprinkles.  Can you believe it?  I think I'm starting to.

Goals and reality

5/18/11


OK, so I'd set a goal of finishing in 1:20, with the intention of
placing in my age group, at the triathlon that's only 7 short weeks
away.  I had a conversation with Brett and he asked me some pretty
simple questions- What was my time when I did the same race in 2003?
Looking at last year's results, how many people were in my age group?
How experienced are the racers that placed last year?

Pretty basic questions- none of which I had an answer to.  Duh.

So as a physical therapist, I'm trained to make goals for my patients
that are realistic and based on definite measurements.  Hmmmm.... you
would think I could apply that same process for myself.

So I did a little research.  Turns out my husband, who is a researcher
and adores collecting data, still had our results from our races back
in 2003.  I completed the same race in 1:30.

I still don't know about the other racers.  But if I'm aiming to take
10 minutes off my previous time and I'm training smarter now, then
maybe it is a reasonable goal.  Honestly?  Maybe it's not.  But I've
still got my 1:20 sign posted over my desk at work to keep me going.
Because if a goal doesn't make us work a little harder and reach a
little farther, then what's the point?

Step it up

So when I first started this training program with Donelson Training, my eyes were set on my first race on July 18th- a sprint distance triathlon.  My goal was to do as much of Brett's training program as I could and do the best I could in the race.  No big deal- I can do that.  Just doing some of the training was stepping out of my comfort zone enough.

Now that I see how doable Brett's plan is and the progress I'm making, I've changed my tune a bit.

I've generally seen myself as a mediocre athlete for most of my life.  I mean, I spent my childhood and teenage years in the ballet studio.  And while I loved every minute of my years in ballet, I didn't spend much time participating in competitive sports.  The competitive, high-level athletes were always those "other girls".  Those other girls were lean, fast, and simply not me.  Beliefs we take on as we grow up can stay with us for a long time.  But the belief that I am not one of those fast girls is done.  I'm ending it now.

So instead of my goal of finishing the race, I am going to place in my age group.  Looking at last year's results, that means I need to finish in about 1:20.  I don't know how difficult that will be, but I'm going to do whatever I can to get there.  I'm not settling for just finishing the race now- I can do that.

It's time to step it up.

Back pain.....what a pain in the neck.

If I had one concern about training for a triathlon, it was the bike.  Although I don't like to admit it, I've had recurring back pain over the past few years.  I'm able to manage it well on my own and I know what will bring it on and what I can do to get rid of it.  The one thing that will bring on back pain for me is too much bending forward or sitting.

Bending forward and sitting....yep, the bike is definitely a concern.  And just as I knew would happen, I've had some trouble with my back as I've added biking to my workout routine.  Nothing major at first, but then I did have a few days that I needed to hold off on training altogether.  Just four days- but it was killing me to not be able to train.  This week, I've been able to get back on track with workouts and my back pain has gone from a roar to a quiet whisper.

So I'm staying optimistic.  Originally, my training plan was to bike 3x/week but I knew that was more than I could do.  So Brett's adjusted my program to biking 2x/week instead and I'm comfortable with that.  I can keep my back under control (I hope), and still get enough training in to be ready for my first race in July.

Three months and counting.....

On my way

Before we had kids, my husband and I did a few triathlons as a way to stay fit and have fun together.  Then our son and daughter were born and it all got put on hold.  Exercise was fit in during nap times or in the early morning hours.  Now our kids are 6 and 4 and I've decided to enter two triathlons this summer.  One is a sprint distance in July and the other is an Xterra race in August.

Although I've done triathlons in the past, I wanted some guidance from someone with experience who actually knows what they're doing.  So my brother, Brett, offered to train me online (he's in Colorado and I'm in Vermont).  I was excited to have someone training me since working with a trainer is something I've wanted to do for years.  

Brett set up a training program for me online so I could log on and see my program and enter feedback after each workout.  I have to admit, the first two weeks my legs were sore- very sore.  In fact, my entire body hurt.  I went from using an elliptical a few times a week to daily workouts including running, biking, swimming, yoga, and strengthening.  But I loved knowing that I was on the right track.

Despite the sore muscles, I am relieved to have Brett training me.  I can be confident that I'm doing what I need to in order to be prepared for my races this summer.  I've got a ways to go since I haven't biked or swam in seven years- but I'm on my way.  And that's all I need to do right now.