So I didn't swim yesterday...

...or lift weights. Have you ever gotten what feels like whiplash from sleeping wrong? I think my pillow is the culprit and so I've had to obtain a divorce from it! It's one of those Tempurpedic jobs that is supposed to cradle your neck. However, if you happen to move slightly to the left or right sometime between REM cycles, you're kinda screwed with the whole "cradling" concept! It hurt so bad I had to make an emergency massage appointment for this morning--and it wasn't one of those massages that allows you drift off into a dreamlike state--instead, it was the kind where you're trying your best to remain relaxed (and not squeal in pain) while the therapist is pushing her thumb into what feels like big marbles in your back! Believe it or not, I was able to go on my 7.5 mile run this morning before my appt--I wanted to reap the benefit of the massage after the run, but I am now going to have to give up my day off tomorrow and swim and lift weights. Hopefully, my neck will be ready for it!

The last two days...

I swam 2600 yards yesterday and I consider it a huge victory because the whole time I was in the pool I wanted to get out! I kept telling myself (after each 100 yards) just one more 100...just one more 100...just one more 100. Twenty-six times later I was getting out of the pool and pretty surprised at how fast the time went.

This morning I got up at 4:45 (yeah, that's AM, friends) and did my turbo trainer for 70 minutes. I finally got my cyclometer to work inside the house and racked up 20 miles on my bike! Getting up this morning was really good practice for when work starts full time, which is on August 6th--yikes!

Please don't forget that I'm raising money for a great cause!

Remember to donate to The SamFund!! As I embark on this journey I'm also raising money for this INCREDIBLE organization. If you've already donated, thank you so much!! If you haven't yet, please check out the following website to hear first-hand how your donation will help. Love, Sue

http://tinyurl.com/lwumgc

Hard to believe 7 weeks are done!

My training program is 24 weeks, which leaves 17 weeks left to go.  It is hard to believe that 7 have gone by already.  My run today was 90 minutes; I ran about 7.5 miles and felt pretty good the whole time.  I went to the gym at the end of the day and I gotta say...I'm feeling really strong!  I'm able to lift a considerable amount of weight without a lot of effort--I'm hopeful that my dedication on the weights will have a huge payoff on November 22nd!

Toughest day to date!!

53 miles kicked my ass!! It took me 3 hours and 40 minutes (which is 14.6 mph) and then I had to run a mere 15 minutes after getting off the bike. It felt like I was running backwards in slow motion! If today doesn't make me stronger, I don't know what will!! I have a long run tomorrow and I'm feelin' just a wee bit fatigued...we'll see how it goes, race fans...

I learn something new on every run...

Today I learned that the faster I run, the less it hurts!  Really!  My heel was hurting as I started my run, but as I did my accelerations it hurt less and less.  Weird.  A rest day tomorrow and then my longest bike ride to date on Saturday--four hours!

And the "base" phase begins...

So each six weeks of my training program focuses on something. The first six weeks was called the "adaptation phase" and it basically got my body used to training for six days of the week. I must admit, it wasn't really that difficult. I don't think I'll be saying that about the next six weeks! This current six week period will focus on my aerobic base--which I can already tell is getting stronger. This morning I did my usual 70 minute turbo trainer (indoor cycling, basically) and for the first time, felt like I could've easily gone longer. I swam 2,750 yards yesterday and Tracy commented that my stroke looks a lot stronger than it did even a couple of weeks ago.

If anyone reading this thinks they are unable to do an Ironman race, I will tell you that's a bunch of bullcrap--I am getting stronger, and if I can, YOU can!!

First six weeks is COMPLETE!

Okay, so the first six weeks of this Ironman training regimen is, as they say, "in the books!"  Yesterday I did a short 32 mile bike ride in 2 hours and 12 minutes--which equals out to an average speed of 14.5 mph (a little bit faster than last week!).  This morning I woke up to a temperature outside, of just under "freakin' oppressive" so I decided on a different tactic.  If you are familiar with Bay Area weather conditions, you already know that in my neck of the woods (Pleasant Hill) the temp can reach quite hellish conditions (105 today) and you also know that if you travel just 20 miles west (say, in Berkeley) the temp at the same exact time will be 30 degrees cooler.  I'm no brain surgeon, but I am smart enough to get in the car and drive to the Berkeley marina to do my 80 minute run--and that's just what I did!  So Ironman fans (and those of this journey) let's recap the mileage to date:

I have swam 24,000 yards

I have biked 320 miles and

I have ran 68 miles

Not to mention 12 visits to the gym to left weights, 3 visits to the chiropractor and 2 visits to a massage therapist!!

Whewwwwwww!!

Not the smartest way to do a run!

So I set out to complete a relatively short "track run" this afternoon...headed out the door and thought to myself, 'it's kinda hot, but it's only 50 minutes,' so I kept going. Let me tell you all, 90+ degree heat is nothin' to mess around with. I had to stop at the park-which is half way-and dunk my head in the water fountain! I managed to finish the run, but man, was I suffering at the end! Take my advice, don't ever go running without your water bottle--even if you think it's just a short run!

Okay...this has nothing to do with training!

Have you ever had "one of those days?" Well, today was certainly mine! After forgetting my bathing suit and having to drive all the way home--by the way, the need to drive 30 minutes to a pool today is because Wednesday is the day I pick up my daughter early from her summer camp, and the place is 30 minutes away.
So...after retrieving my swimming attire, I went back out to my car to discover a tire so flat my car looked like the leaning Tower of Pisa!! Knowing that Sarah had to be picked up within an hour (I did a quick mathematical equation in my head--which for me is quite stunning) and figured out that I had two options: 1) call AAA and miss the pick up time for Sarah, or 2) try to do it myself and get it done within 30 minutes. I opted for the latter--in 102 degree heat! I know, I know...what was I thinking, right? But twenty-five minutes later, that flat tire was off and the new one was on!! So here's the kicker: during Ironman 2006 I had a couple of flat tires (you can read about that on my very first blog post) and today it took me less time to change a tire on my Passat than it did to change a bike tire during that race!! Go figure!

Arrrrrggghhhhh!

Drove all the way into San Ramon (30 minute drive) to go to the pool...went into the changing room...and discovered that among my 25 lb gym bag--which by the way includes everything from special chlorine shampoo to a change of clothes to flip flops I wear in the shower--I had forgotten my bathing suit (a somewhat important item that one would need to actually swim). So, back in the car I will go to do my 2800 yard swim...

ohhh, the lengths I will go to become strong!!

I feel like Aquaman today!!

I've never thought that my swimming could get any faster--ever.  I mean, here's someone who basically learned how to lap swim in 2003.  Don't get me wrong--I've been able to stay afloat in a pool since I was five.  And I could even swim across a large pool without drowning since about ten.  But the first time I swam in a lap pool--and actually swam at least 400 yards without stopping--was in 2003.  So my goal in the pool for last six years has been primarily endurance; I need to be able to swim 4,224 yards without stopping--period!  Tracy has watched me in the pool for the past six years and has told me over and over that my form is pretty ridiculous--and that ridiculous form has been known to hold me to a very consistent 13 minute time for each 500 yards I swim.  Well, I finally changed one thing about my stroke: hand entry!  Instead of reaching out and trying to glide through the water (my hands would come straight up and act as a break), I'm now going "deep and steep" on each pull through the water.  The result: 11:30 for each 500 yards!!!  I swear, I feel like Aquaman!

And the speed comes to a screeching halt!

Well, I suppose I need to look at the bright side of things...I ran 8 miles today!  The darker side was that my pace was 12:30, which is quite dismal.  But I must remember that there will always be small setbacks as I journey through the next 4 months.  I'm going to chalk it up to running on fatigued legs after quite a busy week.  This next week is a recovery week and I'm really looking forward to it!

...And even faster still!

I did a 44 mile bike ride in just over 3 hours and for the first time EVER--let me say that again--first time EVER, I clocked an average speed of over 14 mph; 14.2 mph, to be exact!!  And then, immediately following the ride I did a 20 minute run--which doesn't sound like very long, but it was hard!  I found myself pushing on the bike today much harder than usual (a strong head wind doesn't help much) and so my legs were a tiny bit fatigued!  I have my long run tomorrow (1 hour and 40 minutes) and then next week is a much needed recovery week!!

OMG...I'm actually getting faster!

This training program REALLY works! My workout today consisted of a 6 mile run with a 3 mile "sub test" somewhere in the middle. For the past year I've been running a pretty steady (and pretty shameful) 11:45 minute mile. Not even a week ago I was still keeping that kind of pace...well today I ran my sub test (3 miles) in 30:42!! And completed the entire 6 miles in 65 minutes--that's a 10:50 pace! I'm blown away by the fact that you can take a 47 year old body and train it to do some pretty amazing tricks! I'm excited to see what else I can train her to do!

Lance! Zero seconds off the leader!

Well, today is the second day of week # 5 of my training program and I must say, I'm feeling pretty good. It certainly helps that I'm off for the next 5 weeks! I swam yesterday and the weather was perfect. Sunday was my longest run to date: 8 miles! I've finally gotten my hands (or I should say feet) onto the right shoes--that was a short 6 year search! I finished a 70 minute turbo cycle this morning and was inspired by watching the Tour de France team time trials--GO LANCE!!

Funny how I feel like a "plate spinner"

Did you ever watch the "plate spinner" on the Ed Sullivan show?  I feel like him on days like today!  Went for an 8 mile run and at around mile 4 the muscle in my right quad starting hurting--better stretch that when I get home, I thought to myself.  Gotta keep stretching that calf muscle too!  Then I went to the gym and lifted weights.  My lower back started feeling a little tight.  Uh-oh...better stretch that too.  I swear, I'm a plate spinner--no wait, I'm a MUSCLE SPINNER!!  So at the end of the holiday weekend, I managed to wrack up 42 miles on the bike, 8.2 miles on the running trail and 1 hour of weights and core work (oh, and let's not forget the endless stretching I've done!).

Startin' 4th of July off with a BANG!

I did my first "brick" today! A brick is when you combine two things together. For example, this morning I rode 42 miles and then immediately after, threw on my running shoes and ran for 15 minutes. I felt great the whole time, which is a definite first for me! The best part is that Tracy is training with me (even though she's not doing the race this time). She commented that today is the strongest she's ever seen me train--coming from her, it means that I'm definitely doing this right! Now it's time for food, drinks (non-alcoholic, of course!) and watching fireworks tonight!! Happy Birthday to my mom and Happy 4th of July to all of you reading this!

I finally feel like I'm training!

So today went like this: woke up at 7:00am, ate breakfast, went to the gym and ran (finally) for 45 minutes. My heel felt totally fine (thank you Dr. Dhesi), then I stretched for 30 minutes. I got in my car and drove to the pool where I swam 2000 yards. I then made a pit stop for a gigantic burrito (well, not really gigantic, but it was big). A short stop at Target and then home for a 40 minute trail run--because my heel felt so damn good! Then off to the eye doctor to get prescription sunglasses (age is a bitch) and then back to the gym for a 40 minute weightlifting session....wheewwwww!! Now I have a day off tomorrow and I'm off to the movies with Tracy!!

It's a good thing I'm not doing this as a weight loss program...

..because I would've stopped by now!  I've been working out 6 days a week for the past 3 weeks and I've gained two pounds!  I lost more weight when I sat at my desk all day and came home and had ice cream for dinner!  People say to me, "ya know, muscle weighs more than fat, so you must be gaining muscle."  If that's the case, man am I gonna be buff after this!!  Well, I gotta go swim...