Training is going really well. Karen bumped me up to a faster group at the track since I'm running so well. My swimming is also going really well. My Master's swim coach is going to bump me up to a faster lane next week! I'm actually feeling really comfortable in the water and faster than I ever have been.
Continuing to get faster and stronger.
I hope I can hang on...
Friday, the 16th, was my birthday! Didn't take me long to spend my birthday money. Got a new pair of Oakley sunglasses this past weekend. Needed some performance eyewear that didn't keep and smear the sweat all over the lens. I chose the Oakley FLAK Jacket. They have Hydrophobic lenses, meaning the water and sweat just bead and roll off. They are SWEET!
Training is still going well. Last week was not as good as the previous week, but that was expected. I have a big week this week, capped off with a 5.5 hour ride this weekend! Guess what? I finally got my training log updated and as you can see, I've been pretty busy training. I know the next few weeks will be pretty intense as well.
I was way behind on getting the log updated because we got Mario Kart Wii, complete with two steering wheels. I've been racing the whole family in the very little free time I had left. Logan loves this game so much, it's helping Nikki and I use it as a reward for making good choices at school and good behaviour.
I do want to mention how much I appreciate Nikki. She is being very patient with my huge training load, very encouraging, and extremely helpful. I'm out until almost 8pm every night with afternoon workouts, so I don't get too much time at home with everyone. I definitely take advantage of every second I have with them during this time. I really hope all this training pays off in July with a great race!
BTW...Chicago called and they want their wind back. Seriously, I can't even believe how windy it's been in Richmond the last couple months. 10-30mph winds seem to hit every other day, and every freakin' time I get on my bike. I'm going to have a great bike leg if it's not windy in Lake Placid!
First off, Happy Mother's Day to the wonderful Mother of our beautiful children.
I feel like this past week was a breakthrough week for me. All workouts felt really good and I felt really strong all week.
I'm feeling much better in the water and the Master's swim coach has said I'm looking better in my form.
My nutrition has been going really well. Karen had me start a liquid nutrition plan on the bike instead of the many Cliff Bars I was eating. She, and several others she is coaching for Lake Placid, talked me into trying CarboPro. It's 112 calories per scoop, so you just mix any number of scoops in water to get your needed number of calories. On the Tuesday night bike ride, I had a bottle with 3 scoops CarboPro and stayed with the main pack the whole ride! First time hanging with everyone until the end! Even had the legs for some sprinting at the end with the main group!
On Saturday morning, I completed the Cap2Cap century ride. We rode from Dorey Park in Richmond, VA to Jamestown High School in Jamestown, VA and back. The ride went really well. Rode 102 miles in 5 hours and 6 minutes and felt really good the entire ride. That's an average of almost 20mph! Immediately following the ride we went on a 20 minute t-run that really didn't feel too bad! During the ride, I had 2 bottles with 5 scoops each of CarboPro, with water up front in my AeroDrink. Didn't get dropped from my group or 'bonk' at all! In addition to the CarboPro, I took in half a banana at 50 miles, a Nature's Path Cranberry bar at 75, and 3 Oreo's (gotta have my Oreo's!) with about 12 to go. Just to get in a little solid food.
Now, I have to get used to the fact that while my energy level is good with the CarboPro, my stomach is confused. I'm so used to eating Cliff Bars for a whole ride that I feel empty at times, thinking I'm hungry. May have to stash a single Cliff Bar to nibble on through a long ride.
My running is going really well too. The calves have finally learned to deal with this new running form of mine and stop complaining. No hip or IT band pain at all! Weekly massage therapy is really helping me with that. It doesn't hurt that Dr. Stadler's office has a massage therapist. Since it has been prescribed as part of my rehab, insurance is covering my massages up to Lake Placid! Karen was right, this injury back in March was a blessing in disguise. I was able to get everything straightened out well ahead of the bulk of my training! Let's hope that everything holds together for a couple more months.
My IT band is holding up nicely. The weekly massage therapy and rehab sessions are working well. I know my training log on the left hasn't been updated, but I'll get it, just hang tight.
Saturday was an interesting day for us. I went out on my long bike after Logan's soccer game. We ended up riding 4 hours and 26 minutes for a total of 83 miles on the day. We followed that with a 15 minute t-run. The ride was tough with the freakin' 10-20 mph winds! I HATE THE WIND. My eyes were burning so bad due to all the pollen that was blowing around. I had this nice yellow tint to me when finished. Oh, and it felt like we climbed the entire time. Oh well, these very tough bike rides will only make me stronger come July.
After the ride and run I got wiped down, cleaned up, and changed for our church dinner. I head over for a really nice dinner. We had chicken parmesan, green beans, and salad. Great food post ride!
After dinner, I'm ready to head home, have a beer, and relax. Nikki's van had other thoughts. It wouldn't start. No biggie, I'll just jump it, and off we go. Nope. Didn't like that either. After several phone calls and speaking with Nikki's Dad, we decided to remove the battery and take it to an auto store for replacement. Removing a battery is no easy task when the only tools you have are two screwdrivers and a pair of pliers. After a lot of elbow grease, I get it out. Luckily we had driven separately, so that we could get a replacement. (Oh, did I forget to mention that we had the kids too. Yeah, they were getting cranky and tired by this point.) AutoZone confirmed that the battery was indeed dead, so we purchased a new battery, drove back to the van and got it installed. Not nearly as hard as getting it out.
After all that, we finally get home about quarter of 11, and not into bed until close to 11:45. I'm usually in bed by 10pm, so I was beat! Needless to say, I missed my 7am running group, just needed the sleep. I did get my run in later in the morning. 1 hour 26 minutes. Felt really good. Didn't wear the IT band strap and had no IT band pain.
Stay tuned...
I was cool looking at my countdown timer, stating 80+ days until Lake Placid. Then Karen sends out my training plan for the week. 12 weeks to go, she states. Holy cow! That sounds so much closer than 80+ days.
Finished up my first t-run since last year. I was forgetting how tough it is to run off the bike. I have a 5 hour ride this weekend and the Cap2Cap Century ride next weekend, both with t-runs. So, I'll see what it feels like to run after the 5 hour ride and the 100 miler. (For those that don't know, a t-run is a transition run, or brick, where you do a very short run immediately following a bike ride. This gets the leg muscles trained to transition from biking to running.)
I'm loving the Tuesday night group ride. We are riding about 36 miles. Last week we averaged 19mph. This week, 21mph! I'm still not up with the main group once we hit the hills, which start about maybe mile 25, but I'm sticking with the second group once the main pack splits. And actually doing my fair share of pulling.
BTW...My calves HAVE to stop hurting at some point, don't they? I feel like they are in total anarchy! At least my IT band is happy!
I'm holding my own on that Tuesday night bike ride that killed me last year. That's making me much more comfortable on the bike. I'm even doing a good deal of pulling. Also not getting dropped on the climbs is pretty encouraging. I'm really pushing myself at times, knowing that riding fast will make me much stronger come July.
Karen and Stadler have changed my running form. I'm feeling much better, though my calves are pretty sore. The IT band is feeling okay. Leah, my rehab therapist, has got me working on some great strength training exercises. I swear, between Karen, Stadler, and Leah, it'll be amazing if I can even run come July. I'm so sore in internal leg muscles that I didn't even know I had!
Karen is really kicking my butt in the pool. I'm feeling so much more comfortable in the water. Last nights master's swim was really good. I'm very relaxed and feeling longer in my stroke. She's pleased that I'm picking up the changes so quickly and improving so much.
The one thing helping me get the IT band healed and the significant improvement in my swim stroke is that I trust Karen, Stadler, and Leah 100%. I'm always told that I'm very body aware, so I can really focus on what they are teaching me and translate that into my workouts.
Got a 4 hour bike ride on Saturday and a 1 hour 15 minute run on Sunday. I'll let you all know how it goes.
One year ago, our family lost a wonderful Mother and a great person. Today, our family remembers Judy and all the joy she brought us. We all will continue to remember and love her.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, especially today.
We miss you Judy...
Just noticed that my countdown timer is under 100 days!
Wanted to get a quick post to let everyone know that my training is going really well so far.
I'm very pleased to let you all know that I'm holding my own with that RABA ride that kicked my butt last year. For the last two weeks, I'm finishing the entire ride with a few folks, more importantly, not by myself as I did last year. I even have the legs to be baited into a sprint during the last few miles! Tonight, we averaged 20.4 MPH for the 35 mile ride.
Boy did I truly find that sweet spot for the ITB strap. Got a 40 minute run on the treadmill today, with NO PAIN! I was at about 9 minute pace, but hey, at this point I'll take that. Sure beats not running at all...
On a wet and rainy Saturday morning, Logan scores 3 goals in his very first soccer game! He looked like a natural out there and was super excited. His assistant coach, that's me, was very proud of him.
ITBS update - My MRI on Friday evening was pretty uneventful. Just a 30 minute nap. I'll find out the full results on Thursday, when I have my follow-up with Dr. Stadler. I was able to get a 20 minute run in today with very minimal pain. More discomfort than actual pain like last week! I think I've found the sweet spot for the ITB strap that I've been wearing. Meaning, the spot that prevents the IT band from rubbing my knee. I'm pretty stoked about that, but will remain calm and controlled. Not going to rush this and risk a setback.
I feel bad for not posting this last weekend, but our little boy is growing up too fast!
