i have had so much trouble trying to put the stupid orange training tire on my bike and then trying to figure out how to put my bike on the trainer that i bought from maija a while ago. yesterday it took me 20 minutes to put the tire on, then 10 minutes to try to put the bike on. !$#!#%! wasted time at 4 to 5 in the morning makes me cranky b/c i keep thinking "i could be sleeping!" so i went to the treadmill and got in 4 miles of interval running but at a higher speed than tuesday then rushed to the pool. the pool was pretty empty again so i shared a lane w/ only one person w/ whom it took forever for me to discover that he was not the same man as yesterday. this guy, robert, used to be in lane 1 and then injured his shoulder so he is stuck in lane 5, but he wanted to keep up with lane 4 so i was pretty tired. i realized that i have been absolutely stiff and unrelaxed and over-kicking since coming back from england b/c i'm anxious to speed up.. so then i relaxed and kicked less and tried a lot less harder and was actually faster. amazing!
when i got home from work, i was determined to put the bike on the trainer and after whining to SB and G about it online, finally figured out how to fit in on (this is after turning the trainer around backwards and forwards a few times b/c i couldn't figure out which way was the front). whoopee!
original plan this morning was to use the trainer for an hour, focusing on high cadence and gradually shifting to higher gears, then run for 30 to 40 mins. about 25 minutes into it, i got so into watching the democratic national convention on t.v. that i stood up on my bike and whoops! fell over ever so slowly onto the carpet. i even had time to clip out on both sides while falling over. when i tried to put the bike back on the trainer, the bike was tilted sideways so i figured that would not be good for form, lasted 5 more minutes and decided just to run for about 1:10.
i bumped into old dude #3, we pounded fists and kept going (thank goodness we were going in opposite directions and away from a hill). then i was passing this other guy and gave him a "hello" nod but he was kind of rude and yelled, "how come the only runners i see here are asian!"
i was surprised.. b/c: 1) the idiot is running in fort lee, where there is a major korean population, 2) i personally don't know very many asians who are athletes, 3) i guess when i am doing something like sbr, i am not really cognizant of my ethnicity (or that of other people) 4) how weird would it be if i had said something like that to him?
of course i could not think of a smart comeback until about 5 minutes after he left. good thing i am such a fast thinker on my feet.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
The Weather Rocks!
These past days, the weather has been so nice! If it only stayed like this for the whole year! But no, I'm sure that is all a set up, and that the nasty weather will rear its ugly head when I least need it. But such is life.
Monday I woke up early for my swim workout. Monday is the day when I struggle with my swimming form, because I don't swim during the weekends. It is funny how that works. Once I start to get tired, then my form improves. This has to do with my shoulders relaxing, and I stop trying to muscle my way through the water, and my reach gets longer and more relaxed.
After work, I went to buy some suits. I have a few weddings coming, and my current suits were bought back in my couch potato days. So a few years later, and 50lbs lighter, I decided that it was time to stop looking like a bag of potatoes when I wear my suits. According to the tailor, my measurements are all screwed up, meaning they don't fit any of the standard jacket sizes. My shoulders and chest are too broad for my height, and my arms are longer than normal for my height. So he'll have to do a lot of modifications to the suits that I bought. So after spending way too much money on that, I went for a deep-tissue sports massage. I'll say it again: I don't know why I did not include this in my training routine before.
Tuesday's swim workout consisted of 10x100m with 50m drill in between, with a 300m warm-up and a 200m cool-down. Then after work, I went to E's place, and went running in the park for a crisp 1hr run. The highlight of my run was almost tackling a few pedestrians who don't look when coming out of restaurants. Hey, they are messing with my running time! Out of the way!
This morning I went to the pool and did 1600m at a steady pace. Then I met Bob, Matt, and Maija for a track workout. After squeezing our way through the locked fence, we did 4x1200m and 4x200m. My times for the 1200m were 4:38, 4:45, 4:49, and 4:50. For the 200m I did 0:38, 0:40, 0:42, and 0:41. We were certainly no Usain Bolts out there! After the workout, I have that good soreness feeling. There is nothing like a good workout! Tonight, I may go riding for a little bit, but I may just go to the gym to do my shoulder routine instead. I have got to give the tailor something new to complain about!
Monday I woke up early for my swim workout. Monday is the day when I struggle with my swimming form, because I don't swim during the weekends. It is funny how that works. Once I start to get tired, then my form improves. This has to do with my shoulders relaxing, and I stop trying to muscle my way through the water, and my reach gets longer and more relaxed.
After work, I went to buy some suits. I have a few weddings coming, and my current suits were bought back in my couch potato days. So a few years later, and 50lbs lighter, I decided that it was time to stop looking like a bag of potatoes when I wear my suits. According to the tailor, my measurements are all screwed up, meaning they don't fit any of the standard jacket sizes. My shoulders and chest are too broad for my height, and my arms are longer than normal for my height. So he'll have to do a lot of modifications to the suits that I bought. So after spending way too much money on that, I went for a deep-tissue sports massage. I'll say it again: I don't know why I did not include this in my training routine before.
Tuesday's swim workout consisted of 10x100m with 50m drill in between, with a 300m warm-up and a 200m cool-down. Then after work, I went to E's place, and went running in the park for a crisp 1hr run. The highlight of my run was almost tackling a few pedestrians who don't look when coming out of restaurants. Hey, they are messing with my running time! Out of the way!
This morning I went to the pool and did 1600m at a steady pace. Then I met Bob, Matt, and Maija for a track workout. After squeezing our way through the locked fence, we did 4x1200m and 4x200m. My times for the 1200m were 4:38, 4:45, 4:49, and 4:50. For the 200m I did 0:38, 0:40, 0:42, and 0:41. We were certainly no Usain Bolts out there! After the workout, I have that good soreness feeling. There is nothing like a good workout! Tonight, I may go riding for a little bit, but I may just go to the gym to do my shoulder routine instead. I have got to give the tailor something new to complain about!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
pb boys
what is up w/ guys and their attachment to pull buoys?
at swim today, the pool was quite sparse so i split a lane with a friendly and lean man named dan who was surprisingly slower than me in back (is that possible?!) but only for 1 lap. he was faster than me by about 0.5 to 1 second without the pull buoy and about 2 to 3 seconds faster with, and his flip turns kicked my butt (w/ the pb, too! i still haven't figured out how to maneuver that). i am still all confused with my stroke so it felt like i was swimming in slow motion, and i was having some trouble breathing (b/c of the slow motion) but i guess things will get better in time. i had decided to try to take a caffeinated gu before swim b/c of all this talk about eating and nutrition during workouts, but it is pretty much confirmed now that caffeine makes me sleepy. i need to figure out what works for me nutrition-wise, as it would probably be helpful before the half that's in less than 2 weeks. before swim i had done my 2nd least favourite thing, intervals on the treadmill for 4.5 miles. my 1st least favourite thing is weight training which i have been avoiding for a few months but will be forced to do come IMLP training time.
yesterday's workout was a 1:18 bike ride followed by a :41 run, trying to get into the run a little faster from the beginning. it was still dark when i left home and i was trying to tell the sun to hurry up and rise but i guess i'll have to start using the trainer.
i had gotten the phone number of a triathlon coach from Strictly Bicycles last week, but was too chicken to give him a call until today. hopefully he'll be affordable and helpful.
can't wait for the weekend!! already. bike and bbq and family time..what could be better than that! and the weather is fantastic.
question:
- what are some workouts you can do on the trainer to work on higher cadences and increasing resistance?
at swim today, the pool was quite sparse so i split a lane with a friendly and lean man named dan who was surprisingly slower than me in back (is that possible?!) but only for 1 lap. he was faster than me by about 0.5 to 1 second without the pull buoy and about 2 to 3 seconds faster with, and his flip turns kicked my butt (w/ the pb, too! i still haven't figured out how to maneuver that). i am still all confused with my stroke so it felt like i was swimming in slow motion, and i was having some trouble breathing (b/c of the slow motion) but i guess things will get better in time. i had decided to try to take a caffeinated gu before swim b/c of all this talk about eating and nutrition during workouts, but it is pretty much confirmed now that caffeine makes me sleepy. i need to figure out what works for me nutrition-wise, as it would probably be helpful before the half that's in less than 2 weeks. before swim i had done my 2nd least favourite thing, intervals on the treadmill for 4.5 miles. my 1st least favourite thing is weight training which i have been avoiding for a few months but will be forced to do come IMLP training time.
yesterday's workout was a 1:18 bike ride followed by a :41 run, trying to get into the run a little faster from the beginning. it was still dark when i left home and i was trying to tell the sun to hurry up and rise but i guess i'll have to start using the trainer.
i had gotten the phone number of a triathlon coach from Strictly Bicycles last week, but was too chicken to give him a call until today. hopefully he'll be affordable and helpful.
can't wait for the weekend!! already. bike and bbq and family time..what could be better than that! and the weather is fantastic.
question:
- what are some workouts you can do on the trainer to work on higher cadences and increasing resistance?
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Power Outage
Saturday was a blur. E and I ran at 5:30AM for 1.5hrs, then got to the beach at 9AM, got back to my place at 3PM, then we were at Newark at 7PM, and finally back at my place by 11PM. It is funny how she does not mention that she mostly slept while I was driving. Such short memory... But it was all a good time. The weather was excellent all day!
On Sunday, I slept in until 7:30AM, then went to the gym to lift weights. Then back home, to get my bike. I had to meet E and the rest of the Aquaholics for a bike/run workout. So I rode my bike to meet them at the Round Valley Park, which is 18mi away from home, with some good hills on the way. Only Maija and E were there to do the workout. We rode for 17mi, and then ran for perhaps 5mi. It was all good, and my legs did not feel dead when we did the brick.
Then I rode back home. I knew before starting that it was going to be a struggle, but I wanted to ride tired, so that I can get used to it. Well, I got what I was looking for, as the heat was really getting to me (it was past 2PM at this point). The only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that I would get home to a nice shower, and then rest with the A/C on.
Well, I made it home alright. But there was a blackout in my block. So I got my rest with no A/C!!! And with all the sun that I took, my body was really dissipating some heat. So I was feeling like crap for a while. It was very anticlimatic. I can do crazy workouts, but I need some comfort when I get done. And we did not get power back until 8:30PM!
On Sunday, I slept in until 7:30AM, then went to the gym to lift weights. Then back home, to get my bike. I had to meet E and the rest of the Aquaholics for a bike/run workout. So I rode my bike to meet them at the Round Valley Park, which is 18mi away from home, with some good hills on the way. Only Maija and E were there to do the workout. We rode for 17mi, and then ran for perhaps 5mi. It was all good, and my legs did not feel dead when we did the brick.
Then I rode back home. I knew before starting that it was going to be a struggle, but I wanted to ride tired, so that I can get used to it. Well, I got what I was looking for, as the heat was really getting to me (it was past 2PM at this point). The only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that I would get home to a nice shower, and then rest with the A/C on.
Well, I made it home alright. But there was a blackout in my block. So I got my rest with no A/C!!! And with all the sun that I took, my body was really dissipating some heat. So I was feeling like crap for a while. It was very anticlimatic. I can do crazy workouts, but I need some comfort when I get done. And we did not get power back until 8:30PM!
hey baby, your legs must be tired
back in action! thursday was a normal bike/run, i had planned to do 1:30 bike and then a :45 run at least but i bumped into an idiot on the road who had gotten a flat tire and had only brought with him those plastic things to take your tire off (my usage of terminology is amazing, right, mel?). he asked me for a pump but it didn't fit his replaced inner tube, so he asked me for a patch to repair a hole in his inner tube. i was sort of annoyed and i wanted to yell at him, "do you think i got up early so i could wait for you to use my stuff?!" but pansy that i am didn't say much but kept looking at my watch. so that cut down my run time and i was hit with a craving for a peanut butter and banana sandwich, making my ride back slightly faster.
friday i decided to bike to the pool, do masters, bike back to my place to drop off my bag and then do a ride, giving my ankles a break from running. since i am so good at time management, i had to bike kind of hard to get to the pool, and then found out that our workout would be mostly kicks. what luck.. Alpha Male was actually nice to me, which was a bit of a relief. afterwards i biked back home and then did intervals of 5 mins race pace (trying to do the big ring at high cadence) + 2 mins break. my legs thought all this leg work was a little unfair but tough luck, ladies.
then saturday was beach day!! since the driver wanted to leave early to avoid traffic, i got up at 5 to run, but apparently i needed a chaperon since it was dark. it was a decent run for me but probably a bit easy for A, since he was gliding along while i was trying to keep up. we ran for about 1:30 and then i had a couple nice naps on the beach.
sunday was sbr day w/ maija and supposedly some other aquaholics. maija and i went swimming in new providence in an outdoor 50m pool and i realized that my back/breast are awful but i can't be motivated to improve on them. i mean, working on free is enough and it's not like if a shark is chasing me i'm going to do backstroke. it was really nice to tan and swim at the same time, though, b/c i haven't done so since london. the next event was to bike and run the buckman course with A and some aquaholics who were going to do the tri, but it turned out that it was only A, maija and me. coach maija gave me some good tips on both the bike and run, and i was quite tired then and going with the mentality of "just finish." i was watching maija zoom ahead of me and thinking, "how does that girl have all that energy? must be the organic gatorade." maija was like a porsche, A like a bmw and then here comes e, plodding along like an 87 camry with duct tape on the side. i was pretty wiped out when we were done but superA biked it home while i chilled out in the car.
so vacation is officially over and i must say it got better and better. can't wait for bike and bbq in coundown, 7 days!
friday i decided to bike to the pool, do masters, bike back to my place to drop off my bag and then do a ride, giving my ankles a break from running. since i am so good at time management, i had to bike kind of hard to get to the pool, and then found out that our workout would be mostly kicks. what luck.. Alpha Male was actually nice to me, which was a bit of a relief. afterwards i biked back home and then did intervals of 5 mins race pace (trying to do the big ring at high cadence) + 2 mins break. my legs thought all this leg work was a little unfair but tough luck, ladies.
then saturday was beach day!! since the driver wanted to leave early to avoid traffic, i got up at 5 to run, but apparently i needed a chaperon since it was dark. it was a decent run for me but probably a bit easy for A, since he was gliding along while i was trying to keep up. we ran for about 1:30 and then i had a couple nice naps on the beach.
sunday was sbr day w/ maija and supposedly some other aquaholics. maija and i went swimming in new providence in an outdoor 50m pool and i realized that my back/breast are awful but i can't be motivated to improve on them. i mean, working on free is enough and it's not like if a shark is chasing me i'm going to do backstroke. it was really nice to tan and swim at the same time, though, b/c i haven't done so since london. the next event was to bike and run the buckman course with A and some aquaholics who were going to do the tri, but it turned out that it was only A, maija and me. coach maija gave me some good tips on both the bike and run, and i was quite tired then and going with the mentality of "just finish." i was watching maija zoom ahead of me and thinking, "how does that girl have all that energy? must be the organic gatorade." maija was like a porsche, A like a bmw and then here comes e, plodding along like an 87 camry with duct tape on the side. i was pretty wiped out when we were done but superA biked it home while i chilled out in the car.
so vacation is officially over and i must say it got better and better. can't wait for bike and bbq in coundown, 7 days!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Back on the Road... Bike
My hate for all things related to biking has subsided enough for me to saddle up again. At the same time, all those aches brought by the Ramapo rally are gone. These developments occur not a moment too soon, because the Quakerman 70.3 is in two weeks.
I would have biked yesterday afternoon, but I had to go visit E and her bbbf and wife (I'm open minded) Mel, who is visiting from Hong Kong. It was very nice to finally meet her, as E is always talking about her. We went for some delicious Korean food, and then some dessert.
This morning I went swimming early. After a 300m warm up, I did 20 X (50m race-25m drill), followed by a 200m cool down. This is the second day in a row that I do this workout, and I really like it. In the future, I will increase the race distance, but for now, this workout feels really good for me. Then got out of the pool, went home, ditched the car, and got on the bike to go to work.
The ride was good. My legs felt loose and strong. The commute itself is less than 20 miles, so I concentrated on going as fast as I could while doing a high cadence. Before getting to the office, I went to the gym to do my arms/back routine. Then I went to the office, where I had a wheat donut as a reward for my gas saving commute.
The only problem is that my body is asking for a longer workout right now. I can't seat still at my desk. At least, I know that I get to bike home. I have to decide if I'm going directly to my place, drop my bag and then go on a longer ride, or just do the extended ride with my bag, and then go home. And then a brick will be required.
As for the weekend, the girlfriend somehow thinks that Saturday has 36hrs. She wants (in no particular order) get a workout done, watch a movie, go to the beach, be back in the Hillsborough area to meet a friend in the afternoon, and attend a BBQ for another friend in the Newark area. And then on Sunday... Lets just say that I may need to take Monday off to recover from all the "rest and fun" that I'll be having this weekend.
I would have biked yesterday afternoon, but I had to go visit E and her bbbf and wife (I'm open minded) Mel, who is visiting from Hong Kong. It was very nice to finally meet her, as E is always talking about her. We went for some delicious Korean food, and then some dessert.
This morning I went swimming early. After a 300m warm up, I did 20 X (50m race-25m drill), followed by a 200m cool down. This is the second day in a row that I do this workout, and I really like it. In the future, I will increase the race distance, but for now, this workout feels really good for me. Then got out of the pool, went home, ditched the car, and got on the bike to go to work.
The ride was good. My legs felt loose and strong. The commute itself is less than 20 miles, so I concentrated on going as fast as I could while doing a high cadence. Before getting to the office, I went to the gym to do my arms/back routine. Then I went to the office, where I had a wheat donut as a reward for my gas saving commute.
The only problem is that my body is asking for a longer workout right now. I can't seat still at my desk. At least, I know that I get to bike home. I have to decide if I'm going directly to my place, drop my bag and then go on a longer ride, or just do the extended ride with my bag, and then go home. And then a brick will be required.
As for the weekend, the girlfriend somehow thinks that Saturday has 36hrs. She wants (in no particular order) get a workout done, watch a movie, go to the beach, be back in the Hillsborough area to meet a friend in the afternoon, and attend a BBQ for another friend in the Newark area. And then on Sunday... Lets just say that I may need to take Monday off to recover from all the "rest and fun" that I'll be having this weekend.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
swimming in molasses
track workouts! i am so jealous, although if i were to do one, i'd probably hate it too.
my bbbbbbf and wife (sorry, A, but the news has been on facebook!) mel is coming to visit from hong kong and i can't wait to see her!
jet lag and the urge to pee woke up me up at 3:30 a.m. (around the time A wakes up normally) but i lay in bed until 4 trying to get back to sleep. i waited impatiently for the sun to come up so i could go biking so i putzed around my place cleaning up. then when i went to pump up my rear wheel (which, incidentally, i had brought to EMS to get the inner tube changed for a reason that i can't remember) i amazingly and instantly deflated the tire and felt like a royal idiot b/c i couldn't figure out how to pump it. i was so annoyed..what an anticlimax! i thought about calling A but it was 5:51 and he would be on the track. i even hauled my lame bike to the doorman and asked him to give it a try, still unsuccessful. doorman laughed at me and said, "well, i guess you have to run." i guess so. btw the doormen (yes, all men) in my building are the best support team. they hold my keys and if i come back "too early" they tease me for not running long enough.
original plan was to bike for 1 or 1.5 hours and then run longer than i usually do for a brick to get ready for the half, then bike to the pool for a lesson. i ended up running for 2:09 but i went at my regular 1:30 pace for most of it. it was so wonderfully refreshing to be back in the park, and the weather was perfect, i felt like i was absorbing it. there are a couple of long hills so i repeated them just for the heck of it, and on my way down a hill for the second time, i ran into Old Guy #3 (there are 3 old guys i bump into at the park, #1 walks #2's dog and meets #2 halfway, and i have raced #3 up a hill a couple times and he has always kicked my butt) so we raced up the hill but i guess he was too tired today.
then off to columbia for a lesson that i had scheduled b/c i was anxious about losing form after not swimming for 10 days. when i got into the water to do a 50, i was like OMG i'm swimming! b/c i think i had half-expected to sink like a rock. abby, an assistant coach for the masters class, teaches kids so i really liked her analogies. it is funny though, whenever swim coaches imitate how your stroke should be with the rotation and all, i really don't get it. she gave me some really good tips but i find myself swimming surprisingly smoothly but incredibly slowly with a lot of effort.. here we go again!
i am so excited to be back in action! this probably sounds funny but it feels good to have semi-sore muscles again, and when maija said sunday's swim would be a hard swim i got all excited. in london i had done a slow 1:00, slow 1:30 and slightly faster 1:35 the last 3 days of the trip just to check if my ankles could take it. still a little sore but i think it is just something to add to list of Right Leg Pains, which include the sciatica if i run longer than an hour and the knee that feels like it is tearing if i take large strides. i actually tore something in my knee in college trying to learn how to breakdance which is only slightly embarrassing...
my bbbbbbf and wife (sorry, A, but the news has been on facebook!) mel is coming to visit from hong kong and i can't wait to see her!
jet lag and the urge to pee woke up me up at 3:30 a.m. (around the time A wakes up normally) but i lay in bed until 4 trying to get back to sleep. i waited impatiently for the sun to come up so i could go biking so i putzed around my place cleaning up. then when i went to pump up my rear wheel (which, incidentally, i had brought to EMS to get the inner tube changed for a reason that i can't remember) i amazingly and instantly deflated the tire and felt like a royal idiot b/c i couldn't figure out how to pump it. i was so annoyed..what an anticlimax! i thought about calling A but it was 5:51 and he would be on the track. i even hauled my lame bike to the doorman and asked him to give it a try, still unsuccessful. doorman laughed at me and said, "well, i guess you have to run." i guess so. btw the doormen (yes, all men) in my building are the best support team. they hold my keys and if i come back "too early" they tease me for not running long enough.
original plan was to bike for 1 or 1.5 hours and then run longer than i usually do for a brick to get ready for the half, then bike to the pool for a lesson. i ended up running for 2:09 but i went at my regular 1:30 pace for most of it. it was so wonderfully refreshing to be back in the park, and the weather was perfect, i felt like i was absorbing it. there are a couple of long hills so i repeated them just for the heck of it, and on my way down a hill for the second time, i ran into Old Guy #3 (there are 3 old guys i bump into at the park, #1 walks #2's dog and meets #2 halfway, and i have raced #3 up a hill a couple times and he has always kicked my butt) so we raced up the hill but i guess he was too tired today.
then off to columbia for a lesson that i had scheduled b/c i was anxious about losing form after not swimming for 10 days. when i got into the water to do a 50, i was like OMG i'm swimming! b/c i think i had half-expected to sink like a rock. abby, an assistant coach for the masters class, teaches kids so i really liked her analogies. it is funny though, whenever swim coaches imitate how your stroke should be with the rotation and all, i really don't get it. she gave me some really good tips but i find myself swimming surprisingly smoothly but incredibly slowly with a lot of effort.. here we go again!
i am so excited to be back in action! this probably sounds funny but it feels good to have semi-sore muscles again, and when maija said sunday's swim would be a hard swim i got all excited. in london i had done a slow 1:00, slow 1:30 and slightly faster 1:35 the last 3 days of the trip just to check if my ankles could take it. still a little sore but i think it is just something to add to list of Right Leg Pains, which include the sciatica if i run longer than an hour and the knee that feels like it is tearing if i take large strides. i actually tore something in my knee in college trying to learn how to breakdance which is only slightly embarrassing...
Sheeple
I don't like track workouts. I think if you like track workouts, then you are not doing them right. Even though I know how helpful they are for improving running race times, I am guilty of neglecting track workouts, and substituting them with interval training workouts. Even when I get to the track by myself, I start doing the workout, and after a few sprints, transition to something else without finishing the speed drills.
So when I got the email saying the Aquaholics (or the Nowhere Tri Team... or the Noname Tri Team...) were meeting at 5:45AM for a track workout, two things came to my mind. First of all, why so late? (As they roll their eyes reading this.) Second, misery loves company. I was happy to share my suffering with other pain enthusiasts. When it comes to these workouts, I prefer to be part of a group, in which the herd mentality is going to get us through the task at hand. Yeap, I am happy to be part of the sheeple.
So I got to the pool at 4:45AM and was surprised to see a lot of people at the door. It was so crowded there were two swimmers in every lane, which is unusual for that time of the day. The word must be out. I swam 1600m at a steady pace, got out of the pool, changed into my running clothes, and awaited for the rest of the herd.
The workout consisted of 1x1600m at 10K pace, 2x800m at 5K pace, and 4x400m all-out. Normally, my 10K pace is 1:40/400m; my 5K pace is 1:35/400m; and I estimate my all-out pace is 1:25/400m. Going in, I was a little concerned about my right calf, which is in a little pain after the Ramapo Rally. However, the herd pushed my pace in all distances, so
I ended up doing 1:35 for my 10K pace, and 1:30 for my 5K pace. For my four all-out sprints, I ended up doing 1:21, 1:25, 1:32 (lost it on that one), and 1:24.
So I am very happy with the results. I am also delighted to know that this will become a weekly workout for us, which in the end will prove beneficial for all. Thanks to Maija for coming up with the workout, Matt for checking the track availability, Todd for making sure we all kept our times, and Claudia for summarizing everybody's feeling by saying: "This sux!" Amen sister. Thinking of it, I was the black sheep, as I did not do anything!
So when I got the email saying the Aquaholics (or the Nowhere Tri Team... or the Noname Tri Team...) were meeting at 5:45AM for a track workout, two things came to my mind. First of all, why so late? (As they roll their eyes reading this.) Second, misery loves company. I was happy to share my suffering with other pain enthusiasts. When it comes to these workouts, I prefer to be part of a group, in which the herd mentality is going to get us through the task at hand. Yeap, I am happy to be part of the sheeple.
So I got to the pool at 4:45AM and was surprised to see a lot of people at the door. It was so crowded there were two swimmers in every lane, which is unusual for that time of the day. The word must be out. I swam 1600m at a steady pace, got out of the pool, changed into my running clothes, and awaited for the rest of the herd.
The workout consisted of 1x1600m at 10K pace, 2x800m at 5K pace, and 4x400m all-out. Normally, my 10K pace is 1:40/400m; my 5K pace is 1:35/400m; and I estimate my all-out pace is 1:25/400m. Going in, I was a little concerned about my right calf, which is in a little pain after the Ramapo Rally. However, the herd pushed my pace in all distances, so
I ended up doing 1:35 for my 10K pace, and 1:30 for my 5K pace. For my four all-out sprints, I ended up doing 1:21, 1:25, 1:32 (lost it on that one), and 1:24.So I am very happy with the results. I am also delighted to know that this will become a weekly workout for us, which in the end will prove beneficial for all. Thanks to Maija for coming up with the workout, Matt for checking the track availability, Todd for making sure we all kept our times, and Claudia for summarizing everybody's feeling by saying: "This sux!" Amen sister. Thinking of it, I was the black sheep, as I did not do anything!
Monday, August 18, 2008
The Golden Boy
My mother called me to tell me the news. She did not need to, as I was following the results online. Irving did it! He won gold! At 9:45AM ET he was the gold medal winner in the Long Jump. And a tiny country of 3.3 million celebrates! I would love to be down there right now.I watched in horror Saturday (not on TV, thanks NBC) as he barely qualified for the final in his last jump. Today, he did not need his last jump. This is the third overall medal for Panama in Olympic history, joining the two bronze medals won by Lloyd LaBeach in 1948 in the 100m and 200m in Track and Field.
As for me, I did a recovery swim today. I did 150 lengths at a steady (read slow) pace. I am limping a little from the bike ride, but I should be OK by tomorrow. Because this is my rest day, there will be no second workout after work today.
Matt asked me this morning if I thought the ride was more difficult than a Half-Iroman. I had to think about it for a moment. I think that the half was tougher, but I was motivated to finish at all costs. I did not have that kind of motivation yesterday, and thus, it became very difficult to finish.
And looking at my calendar, I see another century ride this weekend. Oh well...
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Survival Mode
I woke up this morning with a queasy stomach. As I was driving to the starting point of the ride, I was considering if trying to do 125mi was too ambitious for me on this day. I got there, and looked at the cue sheets. I had until mile 35 to decide if i was going to do only 62mi. At mile 55, I had to decide whether to do 100mi or 125mi. It was all going to depend on how I felt at the moment.
Mile 0: I left the starting area at 7AM. There was a hill at the very start of the ride. Before I had time to warm up, I was already climbing. I noticed that the road markers were too close to the turns, and in some cases, after stop signs.
Mile 22: The A riders passed me, and I stayed with them for 12mi until the first rest stop at mile 22. They were averaging about 23 miles on rolling hills. Being honest with myself, I knew that I would not be able to keep that pace and still do 125mi.
Mile 35: I decided to keep going and not do the 62mi turn. I was feeling really good at this point. I almost had a really bad crash here though, as I was coming down a hill at 30+MPH, there was a blind turn coming, and when I hit the brakes there was a lot of sand on the road. I was able to clip out and maintain control, but still ended on the opposite sidewalk of the perpendicular road. Luckily, no cars were coming at that instant.
Mile 52: Second rest stop. Getting here was a struggle, as there were long climbs for 15mi, with very few descents. The worst was that there were several traffic lights and stops, so there were a few times that I had to keep climbing after stopping, losing all my momentum. I got here at 10:30AM, and I was averaging under 17MPH for the whole ride. At this moment, I had long ago abandoned the idea of the 125mi. The return to my car was going to be a struggle.
Mile 72: Third rest stop. I felt like crap when I got here. I was cramping up whenever I left the saddle. Staring at mile 60, I started dividing the remaining distance in 10mi segments. I thought of giving up at this rest stop, but I decided to keep going...
Mile 103: MILE 103????????? The three additional miles really freaked me out. My mind was really playing games, and not reaching the starting point at mile 100 caused a flood of doubts. Did I miss a turn? Could I finish? I was so happy when I saw the signs for the end of the ride. I got here at 1:45PM. I averaged just above 16.5MPH.
Overall, I did not have a good time during this ride. The weather was nice, but by noon I was really hot. I was cursing at myself for not doing the 62mi ride (you would be DONE now, my mind kept saying). I may do this Rally again, but I need to rest a little before tackling it. This bike ride was hillier than the Black Bear Tri. I ran on Saturday, and I wish that I had not. I am limping right now, but I do not think that this limp will last long. I hope that this does not mess up my training this coming week.
Mile 0: I left the starting area at 7AM. There was a hill at the very start of the ride. Before I had time to warm up, I was already climbing. I noticed that the road markers were too close to the turns, and in some cases, after stop signs.
Mile 22: The A riders passed me, and I stayed with them for 12mi until the first rest stop at mile 22. They were averaging about 23 miles on rolling hills. Being honest with myself, I knew that I would not be able to keep that pace and still do 125mi.
Mile 35: I decided to keep going and not do the 62mi turn. I was feeling really good at this point. I almost had a really bad crash here though, as I was coming down a hill at 30+MPH, there was a blind turn coming, and when I hit the brakes there was a lot of sand on the road. I was able to clip out and maintain control, but still ended on the opposite sidewalk of the perpendicular road. Luckily, no cars were coming at that instant.
Mile 52: Second rest stop. Getting here was a struggle, as there were long climbs for 15mi, with very few descents. The worst was that there were several traffic lights and stops, so there were a few times that I had to keep climbing after stopping, losing all my momentum. I got here at 10:30AM, and I was averaging under 17MPH for the whole ride. At this moment, I had long ago abandoned the idea of the 125mi. The return to my car was going to be a struggle.
Mile 72: Third rest stop. I felt like crap when I got here. I was cramping up whenever I left the saddle. Staring at mile 60, I started dividing the remaining distance in 10mi segments. I thought of giving up at this rest stop, but I decided to keep going...
Mile 103: MILE 103????????? The three additional miles really freaked me out. My mind was really playing games, and not reaching the starting point at mile 100 caused a flood of doubts. Did I miss a turn? Could I finish? I was so happy when I saw the signs for the end of the ride. I got here at 1:45PM. I averaged just above 16.5MPH.
Overall, I did not have a good time during this ride. The weather was nice, but by noon I was really hot. I was cursing at myself for not doing the 62mi ride (you would be DONE now, my mind kept saying). I may do this Rally again, but I need to rest a little before tackling it. This bike ride was hillier than the Black Bear Tri. I ran on Saturday, and I wish that I had not. I am limping right now, but I do not think that this limp will last long. I hope that this does not mess up my training this coming week.
Friday, August 15, 2008
we'll get there when we get there
85 miles in 37.5 hours over 3 and a quarter days.. i think 3 words to describe the trip would be beautiful, mind-numbing and painful. i hope this is the last time i sign up for something before really understanding what it entails. oops, i guess other than the IM. i'm feeling kind of silly for thinking that this trip would be a minor diversion from regular training and my ankles are really paying for it!
btw, i can't believe KOTB is doing this ramapo rally thing bc he was challenged into it by someone else's ego! i know he will kick a$$ though.
day 1: after a car, bus, train and taxi ride, we start off at one end of hadrian's wall, which is around newcastle. it's already 6 p.m. so we just walk 3.5 hours to destination number 1, the holiday inn express. yes, we're definitely roughing it! the company- bruce, with whom i had run the ny marathon in 2006, and bruce's jovial friend nate. i was glad to be "one of the guys" as we were pretty happy sharing poop and fart jokes.
day 2: walk from newcastle to chollerford, starting around 8 a.m. and after lunch and dinner breaks, end up in the b&b around 9:30 p.m. the path was scenic and beautiful as we wound our way around and through fields, navigating through sheep and cow poop. by late morning, my right ankle was starting to wobble, i guess i did not bother training much for this walk. by dinner time the pain was shooting up my leg so i took a couple advils. when we finished the last 2.5 miles to the b&b in chollerford, i asked for an ice pack, collapsed into a chair and cried. i don't believe i've ever cried out of physical pain before, and i was feeling frustrated, scared and so far away from being comfortable. i was feeling so miserable i finished all of the m&m's in my trail mix. that was the night i learned that i could sleep dirty as well!
day 3: chollerford to walton (i know these places don't mean much to anyone but it helps me to keep track). with fresh resolve and a makeshift bandage around my right ankle, bruce and i kept walking while nate took a bus to meet us at a halfway point. the scenery was getting more and more beautiful, with fields and mountains, and the wall snaking through with a fort here and there. it was also raining and getting a bit muddy, so we walked mostly on the road. i didn't realize that it could be such a mind-numbing experience. i found out that my ankle hurts less when i walk faster so i went on ahead of the guys. the last part of the walk entailed going through the woods and it was getting dark so i was glad to get to the next b&b at 8:30. this one had a fireplace and it was nice and cozy. i missed A so gave him a call for all of 34 seconds to let him know that i was still alive. the people at the b&b thought the 3 of us were a bit crazy to attempt a 5 to 8 day walk in 3.5 days, and it was around this point when i realized that we were attempting a 5 to 8 day walk in 3.5 days.
day 4: walton to (the end!) bowness on solway. by now, i had accepted that our daily walk would take about 11 hours and that my ankles would hurt, so i set a goal finish time, wrapped up both ankles and set out with bruce in the rain. i believe i never want to see cow poop again and that i have seen more sheep and cows and ponies than i have ever seen in my lifetime, put together, times 10. the path was through the fields again, and a bit slippery. we wound our way through some lovely fields of flowers. i had found out that my trail shoes were part of the problem in making my ankles hurt so i had put on teva sandals that had been pretty good to me in ethiopia. the sandals were fine but got a little slippery in the mud, which wasn't bad until the rain started coming down harder and the mud and cow poop were starting to blend together. by the afternoon i was cursing the pain in my ankles and was sloshing through the fields, knee deep (no joke!) in mud until we finally found the road and i swore i wouldn't go back on the path again. we were a bit disappointed to find out that in all of our two hours of wading in the rain, we still had 9 miles to go to the finish line. the boys decided to bus the last 6 miles but i swallowed it and kept going. when i hit the 6-mile remaining sign, the sun was finally out and i finally found zen, put on my ipod and shuffled through a few more small towns. i was joyfully counting down the miles remaining until i got my way to the end of the walk, went to our b&b and promptly took a shower to wash off the cow-stink. then i hobbled over to a pub for dinner and dessert. chocolate cake and a glass of wine never tasted so good.
we decided to forego part 2 of the trip (hiking 3 peaks in 24 hours) which i don't regret bc i really want to get back into training condition to get ready for the half in a couple weeks. but we did manage to squeeze in a trip to whales and i got to kayak in a lake that i was itching to dive into for a swim! until she can run again, miss antsy-pants is back...
Jump Irving!
I was planning on riding my bike to work today. However, the forecast called for rain all day, so I decided no to do it. It is almost noon and while it is overcast, there is no rain to speak of. I'm kind of antsy to go on a bike ride. Yesterday afternoon, there was a thunderstorm that prevented any outdoor activities. I guess that I'll have to leave it until Sunday at the Ramapo Rally.
This morning I did 100 lengths at the pool. On Fridays, I have decided not to do any sets at the pool, just swim continuously for an hour. I do not find it boring, but I can see why people would think it is. After that, I went running for 1hr, followed by my shoulder routine.
Tomorrow, I will wake up early to go on a 2+hr run. I have to schedule it so that I can be back in front of the TV at 8AM, when the preliminaries for the Olympic Long Jump competition will be held. This is the only hope for a medal that my country has in Beijing. Actually, it will be the first Olympic medal of any kind in over 50 years for Panama. The athlete, Irving Saladino is the current World Champion. He had the longest jump in the world so far this year, and the 5th longest ever! The Olympic record was set back in 1968, and the world record in 1991.
So I will be rooting hard at 8AM. Screaming will be required. And this is just for the qualifiers...
This morning I did 100 lengths at the pool. On Fridays, I have decided not to do any sets at the pool, just swim continuously for an hour. I do not find it boring, but I can see why people would think it is. After that, I went running for 1hr, followed by my shoulder routine.
Tomorrow, I will wake up early to go on a 2+hr run. I have to schedule it so that I can be back in front of the TV at 8AM, when the preliminaries for the Olympic Long Jump competition will be held. This is the only hope for a medal that my country has in Beijing. Actually, it will be the first Olympic medal of any kind in over 50 years for Panama. The athlete, Irving Saladino is the current World Champion. He had the longest jump in the world so far this year, and the 5th longest ever! The Olympic record was set back in 1968, and the world record in 1991.
So I will be rooting hard at 8AM. Screaming will be required. And this is just for the qualifiers...
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Signing up for the Rally
When the hiker told me that she was leaving me for 10 days, I looked for events or races to keep me occupied during her absence. That is how my idea to ride the Ramapo Rally came around. I was told by somebody that knows things related to cycling (in his mind, everything) that this was a challenging and hilly ride. So I thought of doing the 62mi ride, which sounds like a good workout.
That was until I went to register for the ride. First, there was the logo. With a logo like that, I feel like they are challenging me. Half the hills are down? Really? Are you teasing me?
And then, there is the description on the website. I quote: "Both the rolling to moderately hilly 62- and 100-mile routes..." Moderately hilly? So then am I a wimp for only doing 62mi?
More from the description: "For those stronger riders looking for a challenge, we are offering a 25 mile hilly extension to the century for a double metric (125)..." Yeap, only wimps do the 62mi.
So now I am all geared up to go on the 125mi ride. Because while half of the hills are down, the other half are still up! And if you hear me complaining about it come Monday, well... you are still going have to put up with it because I am the KOTB!
That was until I went to register for the ride. First, there was the logo. With a logo like that, I feel like they are challenging me. Half the hills are down? Really? Are you teasing me?And then, there is the description on the website. I quote: "Both the rolling to moderately hilly 62- and 100-mile routes..." Moderately hilly? So then am I a wimp for only doing 62mi?
More from the description: "For those stronger riders looking for a challenge, we are offering a 25 mile hilly extension to the century for a double metric (125)..." Yeap, only wimps do the 62mi.
So now I am all geared up to go on the 125mi ride. Because while half of the hills are down, the other half are still up! And if you hear me complaining about it come Monday, well... you are still going have to put up with it because I am the KOTB!
Monday, August 11, 2008
KOTB
So the girlfriend has abandoned me to my fate, and went hiking. Notwithstanding all the mountains that surround us, she has to cross the ocean to do it. She even had the gall to leave on my birthday! For that, I have proclaimed myself King of This Blog! As the KOTB, I will do as I please, until she gets word of it, and then we'll do as she pleases.
So Saturday morning I dropped the hiker at the airport, then went to the post office to mail all the packages that she gave me just before leaving. There was a huge line at the post office at 9AM. It is like everybody thinks to go at the same time. I'm sure that it was empty at 10AM; it had to be, with so many people in line early. Oh well.
I went home and made the mistake of turning on the TV to the Olympics. All of the sudden, I'm watching stuff like handball (played that in high school), volleyball, women saber, and so on. And watching all these athletic displays, it dawned on me that I had not done my workout yet! It was time to get on the bike. I rode my bike from my home in Hillsborough to the Washington Crossing Park in PA. It was such a gorgeous day, that I just stayed in the park for 2 hrs, wishing that I had brought my running shoes with me. I really went all out on my way home, and my lower back hurt when I got home. Took a shower, went out for dinner with some friends, and then to bed.
I woke up Sunday with a stiff lower back. After a hot shower and some stretching, I went running for 3 hrs. The weather was ok, but it was getting overcast quickly. My lower back pain came back with a vengeance, and now my shoulders and neck were hurting too. So I went to get a massage. This has never been part of my training, and now that I had one, I don't know why. I was so relaxed and loose after it, that I was spaced out. I look forward get one every two weeks.
This morning I went to the pool early again, and then did the Masters class. I guess that I need to rethink doing that on Mondays. By the time the class started, I was tired. And I guess the coach was inspired by the 4x100m men relay last night (awesome btw), and wanted us to embrace our inner Phelps or Lezak. He had us sprinting 4x25m, 4x50m, 4x75m, 4x25, 2x50, and 1x100, with pulling in between sets. At that point though, I was embracing my inner anchor, and was more likely to end up in the bottom of the pool than to swim fast.
Geek factoid: it is not the weight of the anchor that holds a ship in position, but the weight of the chain. I have always found funny that they call the last person on a relay team the anchor. So is this person supposed to be slow? I went to a maritime academy, and every year, the person that graduates with the lowest GPA is called the Anchorman. When they get to his/her diploma, they stop the ceremony, announce his name as the anchorman, and then hand him a prize. For the prize, every classmate gives $2 dollar in pennies, and this is handed to him during the graduation ceremony in two sacks full of pennies. Good times!
Aren't you glad that you are reading all this stuff? But then again, I'm the KOTB!
So Saturday morning I dropped the hiker at the airport, then went to the post office to mail all the packages that she gave me just before leaving. There was a huge line at the post office at 9AM. It is like everybody thinks to go at the same time. I'm sure that it was empty at 10AM; it had to be, with so many people in line early. Oh well.
I went home and made the mistake of turning on the TV to the Olympics. All of the sudden, I'm watching stuff like handball (played that in high school), volleyball, women saber, and so on. And watching all these athletic displays, it dawned on me that I had not done my workout yet! It was time to get on the bike. I rode my bike from my home in Hillsborough to the Washington Crossing Park in PA. It was such a gorgeous day, that I just stayed in the park for 2 hrs, wishing that I had brought my running shoes with me. I really went all out on my way home, and my lower back hurt when I got home. Took a shower, went out for dinner with some friends, and then to bed.
I woke up Sunday with a stiff lower back. After a hot shower and some stretching, I went running for 3 hrs. The weather was ok, but it was getting overcast quickly. My lower back pain came back with a vengeance, and now my shoulders and neck were hurting too. So I went to get a massage. This has never been part of my training, and now that I had one, I don't know why. I was so relaxed and loose after it, that I was spaced out. I look forward get one every two weeks.
This morning I went to the pool early again, and then did the Masters class. I guess that I need to rethink doing that on Mondays. By the time the class started, I was tired. And I guess the coach was inspired by the 4x100m men relay last night (awesome btw), and wanted us to embrace our inner Phelps or Lezak. He had us sprinting 4x25m, 4x50m, 4x75m, 4x25, 2x50, and 1x100, with pulling in between sets. At that point though, I was embracing my inner anchor, and was more likely to end up in the bottom of the pool than to swim fast.
Geek factoid: it is not the weight of the anchor that holds a ship in position, but the weight of the chain. I have always found funny that they call the last person on a relay team the anchor. So is this person supposed to be slow? I went to a maritime academy, and every year, the person that graduates with the lowest GPA is called the Anchorman. When they get to his/her diploma, they stop the ceremony, announce his name as the anchorman, and then hand him a prize. For the prize, every classmate gives $2 dollar in pennies, and this is handed to him during the graduation ceremony in two sacks full of pennies. Good times!
Aren't you glad that you are reading all this stuff? But then again, I'm the KOTB!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
"and now the fun begins"
plane time from nj to london = 6 hours. transportation time from airport in london to bruce's in london = 4 hours. what a day!
i managed to squeeze in a run before flying out this morning b/c i knew i'd be antsy on the plane if i didn't. my legs were very grateful to be allowed to run without having to bike beforehand, and i was loving the fantastic weather and watching the sun come up along the river. then i pulled another few brilliant moments when i really didn't know which airport in london i was flying to, wasn't aware that i was late for my flight, and upon arriving in london, realized that i didn't know much about hadrian's wall (where we'll be hiking) and that i didn't have a clue as to how i was going to meet my friend bruce. i was pretty excited that my bag is heavy enough for me to feel like i'll get a good workout in every day but did pack a jump rope in case. susan had a good idea of treating this like boot camp and getting in pushups, abs etc. during this time. tomorrow will be my off day since we're only doing 6 miles and i think it's a few straight days of hiking/walking from morning til dinner after that. 2 t-shirts & 2 pairs of shorts for 4-5 days.. woo hoo!
happy birthday to A!
i managed to squeeze in a run before flying out this morning b/c i knew i'd be antsy on the plane if i didn't. my legs were very grateful to be allowed to run without having to bike beforehand, and i was loving the fantastic weather and watching the sun come up along the river. then i pulled another few brilliant moments when i really didn't know which airport in london i was flying to, wasn't aware that i was late for my flight, and upon arriving in london, realized that i didn't know much about hadrian's wall (where we'll be hiking) and that i didn't have a clue as to how i was going to meet my friend bruce. i was pretty excited that my bag is heavy enough for me to feel like i'll get a good workout in every day but did pack a jump rope in case. susan had a good idea of treating this like boot camp and getting in pushups, abs etc. during this time. tomorrow will be my off day since we're only doing 6 miles and i think it's a few straight days of hiking/walking from morning til dinner after that. 2 t-shirts & 2 pairs of shorts for 4-5 days.. woo hoo!
happy birthday to A!
Friday, August 8, 2008
danger zone
i biked to work today! i purposely chose the slowest route w/ the most traffic lights during rush hour so i could get an idea of the longest time it would take for me to go from the george washington bridge to upper east side. not a great workout biking-wise but a lot of fun nonetheless. it was a pleasant way to say goodbye to my bike for the time being. and it was such a gorgeous morning!
this afternoon i'm going to bike back to harlem to lend my bike to a friend in med school for two weeks while i'm away, then run home from harlem. i guess i should have looked up her hospital address on a map before committing to running home from "wherever she is" (now it looks like it's going to be a significant run) but oh well..no backing out now! i'm seeing a pattern here of esther not really thinking before she decides to do something.
maija, paul and i did a fun workout this morning and i was glad to finally feel my muscles getting tired during the swim since wednesday and thursday swims were a little on the relaxed side. our goal was 2x500 w/ 1:00 rest, 5x200 w/ :45 rest and 10x100 w/ :30 rest. i was really trying to keep up w/ maija more or less and alternated between trying to power through strokes and then suddenly realizing that i have more fun and go at the same speed if not faster when i relax.. it was such a schizophrenic swim, if i could see myself swimming, i would probably be amused. we managed to last through the 5th 100, and to try to get in the last 500m, i did a 200 im and a 300 im. it is fun swimming w/ maija b/c i think we both enjoy working hard even if i'm not at the same level. it is also fun w/ s.b. but i think he is having too much fun on vacation.
my vacation starts tomorrow! can't wait to live on power bars and trail mix for the next 6 days..
this afternoon i'm going to bike back to harlem to lend my bike to a friend in med school for two weeks while i'm away, then run home from harlem. i guess i should have looked up her hospital address on a map before committing to running home from "wherever she is" (now it looks like it's going to be a significant run) but oh well..no backing out now! i'm seeing a pattern here of esther not really thinking before she decides to do something.
maija, paul and i did a fun workout this morning and i was glad to finally feel my muscles getting tired during the swim since wednesday and thursday swims were a little on the relaxed side. our goal was 2x500 w/ 1:00 rest, 5x200 w/ :45 rest and 10x100 w/ :30 rest. i was really trying to keep up w/ maija more or less and alternated between trying to power through strokes and then suddenly realizing that i have more fun and go at the same speed if not faster when i relax.. it was such a schizophrenic swim, if i could see myself swimming, i would probably be amused. we managed to last through the 5th 100, and to try to get in the last 500m, i did a 200 im and a 300 im. it is fun swimming w/ maija b/c i think we both enjoy working hard even if i'm not at the same level. it is also fun w/ s.b. but i think he is having too much fun on vacation.
my vacation starts tomorrow! can't wait to live on power bars and trail mix for the next 6 days..
Again? AGAIN!!!!!!!!
Before I forget, I just want to set the record straight. I think the girlfriend misunderstood my previous post regarding Palisades Park. I said that I did not remember the name, not that I did not know about the park. She forgets that the three other times that I ran in it, it was 4AM, and the park was pitch-black dark (and... mmm... closed to the public... mmm...). Monday was the first time that I actually got to see the park, even though it was my fourth visit.
I am fully into the whole swimming at 4:45AM thing now. I even get to stand around with the other regulars waiting for the door to be opened, and then stand by your lane until the lifeguard give us the "go in the water" signal; all while displaying my best "charming", "friendly", and "approachable" qualities. I have noticed that I'm not thinking about my form at all, and that the stroke is just coming to me very naturally. I'm so relaxed that now I'm losing count of my laps, but that is OK. I'm working on breathing to both sides as recommended by the coach (I keep telling you all, I'm a bad swimmer), but this has proven more difficult. Good thing that I don't live in England, because if during races I had to swim in a clockwise direction, I would never be able to see the buoys! I'll keep working on it, though.
On Wednesday after work, I went on a 1.5HR bike ride. I was working on my cadence, and just kept shifting a lot as needed. I kept telling myself: "when in doubt, shift gears!", and that was working fine. I covered 32 miles, so that was not too shabby. And then I went for a brick run, and my legs were fresh. They felt like I had not biked at all! I went on a fast 30min run. I think the brick training is working, but I'll only be satisfied when this happens during a race.
This morning after swimming, I decided to run the hills around my gym. Instead of doing my regular 2.5mi loop, I just decided to do "suicide hills", running from the bottom of the longest hill to the top, and then jogging back to the bottom. It takes me a minute to sprint to the top of this hill, and about two minutes to come down. I was planning on doing it 5 times, but because it was such a lovely morning, I ended up doing it 10 times. After the 8th time, my legs were in serious debate with my mind about the whole thing. Legs were asking: "Again? Are you sure?"; and my mind went in full drill instructor mode: "AGAIN!!!!!!" So I finished, went inside, was barely able to do my shoulder routine, took a shower, and came to the office to be a productive person. I am in need of a nap.
I am fully into the whole swimming at 4:45AM thing now. I even get to stand around with the other regulars waiting for the door to be opened, and then stand by your lane until the lifeguard give us the "go in the water" signal; all while displaying my best "charming", "friendly", and "approachable" qualities. I have noticed that I'm not thinking about my form at all, and that the stroke is just coming to me very naturally. I'm so relaxed that now I'm losing count of my laps, but that is OK. I'm working on breathing to both sides as recommended by the coach (I keep telling you all, I'm a bad swimmer), but this has proven more difficult. Good thing that I don't live in England, because if during races I had to swim in a clockwise direction, I would never be able to see the buoys! I'll keep working on it, though.
On Wednesday after work, I went on a 1.5HR bike ride. I was working on my cadence, and just kept shifting a lot as needed. I kept telling myself: "when in doubt, shift gears!", and that was working fine. I covered 32 miles, so that was not too shabby. And then I went for a brick run, and my legs were fresh. They felt like I had not biked at all! I went on a fast 30min run. I think the brick training is working, but I'll only be satisfied when this happens during a race.
This morning after swimming, I decided to run the hills around my gym. Instead of doing my regular 2.5mi loop, I just decided to do "suicide hills", running from the bottom of the longest hill to the top, and then jogging back to the bottom. It takes me a minute to sprint to the top of this hill, and about two minutes to come down. I was planning on doing it 5 times, but because it was such a lovely morning, I ended up doing it 10 times. After the 8th time, my legs were in serious debate with my mind about the whole thing. Legs were asking: "Again? Are you sure?"; and my mind went in full drill instructor mode: "AGAIN!!!!!!" So I finished, went inside, was barely able to do my shoulder routine, took a shower, and came to the office to be a productive person. I am in need of a nap.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
playing pretend
maija said that teaching adults and teaching kids are two different things, so i guess i have yet to grow up. i have resorted to playing mind games to see if they help improve my form. for the swim, i'm pretending that i'm on drugs and so tired that i just have to relax. for the bike, my big ring is mysteriously broken until i can go 80 to 85 rpms on a consistent basis and then it will miraculously fix itself once i can. for the run, i have a string holding me up from my head and a string pulling me forward from my chest.
other mind games, however, are not as helpful. for example, this morning i thought for some reason that i could do a 1:00 swim, 1:00 bike, 0:30 run, push-ups/ab-work, stretch, shower, change, drive 10 minutes to my Panera office (working from home is awesome!) all between 6:00 and 9:00. ended up with a 1:00 swim, leisurely chat with gatorade bob and ___ chaz (needs a nickname) and maija (who also needs a nickname), :40 bike, :20 run. i was surprisingly tired again within 3 minutes of the bike so the bike/run were pretty crappy.. i guess the trip will be a good break.
yesterday's workout was about a 1:33 bike around the hills near the park that A "discovered" recently for the 2nd time. about 15 minutes into the ride, i got a flat tire. it took me 5 minutes to try to take out the tire, 5 minutes to look like the damsel in distress, 10 minutes for a nice biker to help me fix my tire. it looks like a lot of muscle is required so i guess i'd better learn how to do it. the Co2 pump is pretty crazy- just 1 pump and the inner tube swells up. i love it!
then swim at masters in the hairball pool. it felt more like "masters on summer vacation" b/c we spent a good 40 minutes on technique after starting 15 minutes late, and would not be surprised if we didn't go over 1500m in an hour and a half. i hit a new 100m PR of 1:31 but was not so excited b/c we didn't do much work the whole time. plus it was kind of a surprise b/c i remember during that 100, i was thinking "relax like you're on drugs." if i ever break 1:30 i'll think i'm the man.
other mind games, however, are not as helpful. for example, this morning i thought for some reason that i could do a 1:00 swim, 1:00 bike, 0:30 run, push-ups/ab-work, stretch, shower, change, drive 10 minutes to my Panera office (working from home is awesome!) all between 6:00 and 9:00. ended up with a 1:00 swim, leisurely chat with gatorade bob and ___ chaz (needs a nickname) and maija (who also needs a nickname), :40 bike, :20 run. i was surprisingly tired again within 3 minutes of the bike so the bike/run were pretty crappy.. i guess the trip will be a good break.
yesterday's workout was about a 1:33 bike around the hills near the park that A "discovered" recently for the 2nd time. about 15 minutes into the ride, i got a flat tire. it took me 5 minutes to try to take out the tire, 5 minutes to look like the damsel in distress, 10 minutes for a nice biker to help me fix my tire. it looks like a lot of muscle is required so i guess i'd better learn how to do it. the Co2 pump is pretty crazy- just 1 pump and the inner tube swells up. i love it!
then swim at masters in the hairball pool. it felt more like "masters on summer vacation" b/c we spent a good 40 minutes on technique after starting 15 minutes late, and would not be surprised if we didn't go over 1500m in an hour and a half. i hit a new 100m PR of 1:31 but was not so excited b/c we didn't do much work the whole time. plus it was kind of a surprise b/c i remember during that 100, i was thinking "relax like you're on drugs." if i ever break 1:30 i'll think i'm the man.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Catching up
I have been so busy with work this past few days. I worked Saturday and Sunday, and the past two days have been really busy at work. But I have kept up with my training, and that is good.
After working on Sunday, I went on a 2.5hr run at 6PM. The weather was beautiful Sunday, and I was upset that I had spent most of the day inside. I kept at steady 8:15 to 8:30 pace for the first 1.5hr, before slowing down a little towards the end.
Monday morning I had to go early to work for a meeting, so I got to the pool at 4:45AM, and swam laps until the Master class started. I got 120 laps done, but when the class started, I was spent. I did 50m and 2x100m twice with the class, before I had to go. The coach says that my swimming has improved, which is good, but keep in mind that it was really bad before, so everything is relative.
After work, I went for a nice 1.5hr run around E's place in Fort Lee. It was a nice run in the waterfront park, which name I can't remember. But at least I have found my go-to running place whenever I go to her place. And this morning, I went swimming and then lifted weights.
Ok, back to my TPS reports now. Later, I have a meeting with the Bobs.
After working on Sunday, I went on a 2.5hr run at 6PM. The weather was beautiful Sunday, and I was upset that I had spent most of the day inside. I kept at steady 8:15 to 8:30 pace for the first 1.5hr, before slowing down a little towards the end.
Monday morning I had to go early to work for a meeting, so I got to the pool at 4:45AM, and swam laps until the Master class started. I got 120 laps done, but when the class started, I was spent. I did 50m and 2x100m twice with the class, before I had to go. The coach says that my swimming has improved, which is good, but keep in mind that it was really bad before, so everything is relative.
After work, I went for a nice 1.5hr run around E's place in Fort Lee. It was a nice run in the waterfront park, which name I can't remember. But at least I have found my go-to running place whenever I go to her place. And this morning, I went swimming and then lifted weights.
Ok, back to my TPS reports now. Later, I have a meeting with the Bobs.
happy 7 month birthday to the A-e team!
(he probably thought i forgot..which i never do, right, A?) happy 7 months of pain and suffering.. and more to come!
speaking of pain and suffering, i hate the treadmill. i feel like i'm losing focus lately and that my muscles are just plain tired. i tried to do an interval run this morning for 4.5 miles and only lasted 3.3 before getting frustrated and hot, so i finished 4 miles and then did a tempo run outside for 15 minutes. i would much rather run 10 miles slowly than a few miles fast! then went off to swim where as usual, this girl saw me and immediately moved into a faster lane. whenever this happens something inside me burns to get faster... i must say though that today was the most relaxed i've been at columbia. there is a funny guy who is so proud of his swim times, which are impressive to me in any case, but i find that endearing. today he did 200yards in 2:40 so i tried to chase him down but made it in 2:58. i told him to give me a couple years to catch up with him.. he ain't getting any younger!
yesterday's workout was 5-5-5-5 etc for 1:40 on the bike, finally getting myself back on the big ring and on my way up to 75 rpms. i was all excited about hitting 75 until i remembered that the goal was 80-100. then a 20 minute run. i was so stinky afterwards b/c i'm trying to get used to working out in the heat, although it was only in the mid 80s.
so.. not to be a whiner (but i will be), i am getting kind of worried about this whole hiking excursion. i'm worried that i'll come back from england not only having hemorrhaged my credit card but also out of shape and lazy. the genius that i am scheduled my first half-iron for about 2.5 weeks after getting back, and i am not close to making substantial progress on speeding up the bike and run. and i can't figure out why i feel like my muscles are rebelling lately. i am sleeping more than usual and think i'm eating fine.. what the heck, man!
speaking of pain and suffering, i hate the treadmill. i feel like i'm losing focus lately and that my muscles are just plain tired. i tried to do an interval run this morning for 4.5 miles and only lasted 3.3 before getting frustrated and hot, so i finished 4 miles and then did a tempo run outside for 15 minutes. i would much rather run 10 miles slowly than a few miles fast! then went off to swim where as usual, this girl saw me and immediately moved into a faster lane. whenever this happens something inside me burns to get faster... i must say though that today was the most relaxed i've been at columbia. there is a funny guy who is so proud of his swim times, which are impressive to me in any case, but i find that endearing. today he did 200yards in 2:40 so i tried to chase him down but made it in 2:58. i told him to give me a couple years to catch up with him.. he ain't getting any younger!
yesterday's workout was 5-5-5-5 etc for 1:40 on the bike, finally getting myself back on the big ring and on my way up to 75 rpms. i was all excited about hitting 75 until i remembered that the goal was 80-100. then a 20 minute run. i was so stinky afterwards b/c i'm trying to get used to working out in the heat, although it was only in the mid 80s.
so.. not to be a whiner (but i will be), i am getting kind of worried about this whole hiking excursion. i'm worried that i'll come back from england not only having hemorrhaged my credit card but also out of shape and lazy. the genius that i am scheduled my first half-iron for about 2.5 weeks after getting back, and i am not close to making substantial progress on speeding up the bike and run. and i can't figure out why i feel like my muscles are rebelling lately. i am sleeping more than usual and think i'm eating fine.. what the heck, man!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
sleep addict
yesterday's workout was a nice 2:00 (slow & relaxing) run followed by a 1:00 swim. my anonymous older brother may think that this is a bit much in the heat but i'd like to remind him that he has no problem playing bball for a few hours in the sun! i decided not to try to schedule my training around more pleasant weather b/c then it would be even more awful doing the IM in extreme heat/rain. i felt like a superhero when the thunder and lightning came out at the halfway point, but was worried about A who was biking at the time. then during the swim i focused on staring at the line along the pool to try to keep my head still. i think i have never concentrated so much during a swim! my scars are a bit cranky and one of them is a lovely shade of booger (want to see?) but they are healing fine. slowing down to fix form on the bike and run is relaxing b/c i know i have some time before the next race. it would be nice to go faster, though.
today, A and i slept in and both had some work to do in the morning b/c we are so responsible and hard working (....), so i waited a few hours before attempting a 1-hr tempo run and then a brief - and fun, as usual- swim with maija. i am so impressed that maija wanted to swim after doing an adventure race in PA the day before and then driving 5 hours to make it back to nj.
i learned from this weekend that:
- i love sleep, especially 8 to 8.5 hours a night
-tempo runs are more tiring than regular runs.. note to self: if ever in a rush for time, do a tempo run.
-there are few things in life more enjoyable than:
--driving stick shift in traffic. seriously.
--spending a weekend w/ A. he's probably going to tease me for saying this but i feel like when i'm with him, everything is just fine.
--eating G's homemade cookies and brownies within 10 seconds of finishing a run. yum!
--finding friends with whom to sbr, share tri tips and funny stories, grow as athletes and work hard but all in fun. you know who i'm talking about, nameless tri team!
today, A and i slept in and both had some work to do in the morning b/c we are so responsible and hard working (....), so i waited a few hours before attempting a 1-hr tempo run and then a brief - and fun, as usual- swim with maija. i am so impressed that maija wanted to swim after doing an adventure race in PA the day before and then driving 5 hours to make it back to nj.
i learned from this weekend that:
- i love sleep, especially 8 to 8.5 hours a night
-tempo runs are more tiring than regular runs.. note to self: if ever in a rush for time, do a tempo run.
-there are few things in life more enjoyable than:
--driving stick shift in traffic. seriously.
--spending a weekend w/ A. he's probably going to tease me for saying this but i feel like when i'm with him, everything is just fine.
--eating G's homemade cookies and brownies within 10 seconds of finishing a run. yum!
--finding friends with whom to sbr, share tri tips and funny stories, grow as athletes and work hard but all in fun. you know who i'm talking about, nameless tri team!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
A scary descent
I have been thinking all week of my long bike ride today. I wanted to do a 4 to 5 hrs bike ride, but I got stuck with some work, and need to get stuff done at the office on Saturday morning (I should not be blogging, I should be working right now. Oh well...) So a 2hr bike ride was all I could do. I left E sleeping (lazy bum), and went out at 6:15AM. I had not done my hilly ride in a while, so it seemed like a good idea. The sky was overcast, but I did not think that it was going to rain soon.
So everything went fine the first 18 miles, when I made it to the bottom of my 535ft ascent. It showed that I had not done this ascent in over a month, as I struggled to get to the top. One of the rewards of doing this ascent is that the descent is fast and fun. I have topped 42MPH coming down. But today, as I was starting the descent, rain came down fast and furious. So I was trying to slow down, but I did not want to brake too hard to avoid a sliding. I was still going 35MPH even trying to go slow.
When I made it to the bottom, I had two choices. I could cut the route short and go home, or I could finish my route (at that point, still 18 miles to go). Because I was already all wet, and there were no more significant climbs, I decided to finish. Made it home, wiped the bike, took a shower, and came to the office. E had already left for the pool. Later, I will clean and lube the bike.
Friday, August 1, 2008
my third hip
training today was an interesting experience, as i have a bump on my left hip that is quite warm and about the size of my palm. it is funny how you don't realize how much you use your left hip, elbow, thumb or palm until you can't! i haven't been able to sit back and i can't wait until i can again! i also realize i have a perverse fascination with bruises and scars, and was admiring the one on my palm this morning during the run.
today's bike was a pretty decent 1:25. the first half i was going to do 5-4-3-2-1 but decided to do 5-5-5-5-5 etc. w/ 1 minute break between. does that mean i wasn't pushing hard enough? the second half i got down to a harder gear (is it called a "higher" or "lower" gear?) but tried to keep the rpm's up still. my legs have stopped arguing w/ me about the "right" way to pedal and i am starting to feel like a "real" cyclist rather than an oaf on a bike. we're getting somewhere! not literally, since i have slowed down significantly. good thing i have some time to work on this before the next race.
to assuage my guilt for starting work so late, i put off the run until lunch time but went a little longer than i normally would for a brick. i let my mind wander for a bit during the run to avoid thinking about the heat and the bruise. reading fink's book and talking to people about the IM has gotten me more intimidated, and i need to remember why i'm going to do it in the first place. other than to fill up my time while A is training for it, one of the main reasons i want to try out the IM is because i want to learn to value and respect my body, and enjoy it for what it can do rather than go through the b-s of how it looks. i am quite enjoying this process of becoming more of an athlete in my mind who is more stable and doesn't push herself just to prove something to herself. hurray for no b-s!
A and i are getting really close to finding a convenient and nice place to stay for IMLP, which is a relief to a type A+++++ planner like me. gatorade bob, who did IMLP this year and will be watching next year, will be staying with us. The 3 of us will be staying with this guy matt who has done 2 or 3 IM's at the impressive age of 24, his then-wife and a friend jeremiah. today, matt was telling me that the IM is going to be "fun" and you actually enjoy it while you're doing it. WHAT!!
today's bike was a pretty decent 1:25. the first half i was going to do 5-4-3-2-1 but decided to do 5-5-5-5-5 etc. w/ 1 minute break between. does that mean i wasn't pushing hard enough? the second half i got down to a harder gear (is it called a "higher" or "lower" gear?) but tried to keep the rpm's up still. my legs have stopped arguing w/ me about the "right" way to pedal and i am starting to feel like a "real" cyclist rather than an oaf on a bike. we're getting somewhere! not literally, since i have slowed down significantly. good thing i have some time to work on this before the next race.
to assuage my guilt for starting work so late, i put off the run until lunch time but went a little longer than i normally would for a brick. i let my mind wander for a bit during the run to avoid thinking about the heat and the bruise. reading fink's book and talking to people about the IM has gotten me more intimidated, and i need to remember why i'm going to do it in the first place. other than to fill up my time while A is training for it, one of the main reasons i want to try out the IM is because i want to learn to value and respect my body, and enjoy it for what it can do rather than go through the b-s of how it looks. i am quite enjoying this process of becoming more of an athlete in my mind who is more stable and doesn't push herself just to prove something to herself. hurray for no b-s!
A and i are getting really close to finding a convenient and nice place to stay for IMLP, which is a relief to a type A+++++ planner like me. gatorade bob, who did IMLP this year and will be watching next year, will be staying with us. The 3 of us will be staying with this guy matt who has done 2 or 3 IM's at the impressive age of 24, his then-wife and a friend jeremiah. today, matt was telling me that the IM is going to be "fun" and you actually enjoy it while you're doing it. WHAT!!
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