Today went swimmingly...

I swam a total of 2 miles (3200 yards) today in the pool and 2000 of those yards were just straight swimming.  As I've mentioned before, I'm the black sheep of the family because I got out of the swimming game early (pre-highschool) and decided to pursue sports on land instead.  Since I stopped swimming competitively at such at early age, I'm 99% sure that was the most yardage I've ever swum straight. Not too shabby!  This workout also had the added benefit of being in an outdoor pool, so I managed to get a sweeeeeet one piece tan as well.  

I'm the crazy sheep in more ways than one...

Today was also a fabulous day because I am now fairly certain that I can do both the half iron on September 8th and the actual IronMan on November 17th with my current school schedule for this fall/winter.  I've been angsting about this since I found out that I CAN'T do Age Group National Champs over the summer.  I was super bummed about that, but now that I know I can do the other two races, I'm not as peeved...although I've also had a week to get over being a whiny poop face about it haha.  I'm hoping to do at least one regular triathlon before the season is over so I can attempt to qualify for the Age Group National Championship race again (and hope that I can do it in 2014), but we shall see!

And lastly, I only have one more week as a first year medical student! First year went by so fast and the speed of these past few months can be attributed to my training.  It definitely kept me sane and has helped my focus while studying.  So, while training can sometimes be boring, or painful, or tiring/exhausting, or scary (at least when I'm biking), etc. and many people tell me I'm crazy for not only doing an IronMan, but also doing it during medical school, I'm really glad I have committed to doing IMAZ.   144 days and counting!!  

4 hours on the move and counting!

I did my first big continuous brick workout on Saturday, and woo-wee, am I tired!

The plan called for a 3 hour bike ride, followed by a six mile run.  Ordinarily, I would have rallied and gone out 9W for the long ride, but truth be told, the first and last 10 miles are not really training riding, since it is through the city, and I like to go with a group for safety (and then you always end up taking a break at the cafe in Nyack) but couldn't get a group together/buddy that was not light years faster than me, so I ended up just waking my butt up early and riding loop after loop in Central Park.  Not the most exciting, but good for mental toughness and enough hills for spice.  By the end it was getting crowded, but 8 loops plus one extra mini loop for an additional Harlem Hill/mile put me at 50 miles and change in about 3 hours, and then I dropped my bike back off at NYAC and hit the park AGAIN for six miles.  It was all I could do not to puss out and just do a couple of laps around the reservoir (flat) to get up to 6 instead of doing the real loop with hills, but I was glad I didn't waver, as four hours later, I was quite proud! I actually ran at a good clip, holding about 9 minute miles, and felt like I kept a pretty decent pace on the bike...definitely within the 16-18MPH "elite" speed bracket called for on the training plan (vs. 12-15 for "age groupers") and managed my nutrition right, as I didn't feel shakey or dehydrated or completely wiped out/bonked at the end.

Nutrition wise, I had a peanut butter sandwich in the morning for breakfast, plus some coffee and a bottle of water, then during the bike I had a GU and two bottles of water + ACCELERADE mix.  Between the bike and run I ate a banana and then carried a bottle of water + ACCELERATED with me, along with another GU, which I ended up not eating, but I did go through the bottle (about a liter in size).  I bought one of those bottles that go between my aero bars with a straw and that thing is literally I lifesaver! When the bottle is in a cage on the bike frame, I never drink out of it, but with that nifty thing I drink regularly and often.  Huge! I just stopped after 30 miles and refilled it with the bottle in my frame cage, and took off again.

This is your friend!

At the end, was I tired? Yes.  Mad at myself for not remembering to re lube parts of my feet (and other body parts) with Body Glide? Yes.  And I will DEFINITELY remember sunscreen reapplication, too.  I didn't get burned, but don't want to risk it next time as the weather continues to heat up.  Wrinkle prevention...vanity is my favorite sin!!  But
I definitely felt in control and like I did the brick to my fitness level/wasn't overwhelmed by the work out.  And considering the only other time I've ever done anything physical for four hours was when I ran the marathon two years ago, not too shabby!

I have been very focused on the bike length lately, and am still wound the most tight about that without a doubt, but my friend Cameron, who did IronMan New Zealand last year, told me that I can't run enough between now and November, and he's a fit dude, so I'll take that advice to heart.  I felt strong on those 6 miles, but at the end, I was definitely ready to be done, not ready to run another 20 miles! And I only did half the bike...and no swim! Waah!

The two biggest training blocks are still to come, though.  Next week is the last week of our aerobic block, then a week of "recovery" and then on to the "endurance" phase and "competitive" phase.  "Competitive" is the one that has the toughest workouts/longest days, so there's that to look forward to!

Long Days, Bigger Workouts....150 days to go!

I didn't want to stop, but my bike needed a rest around 30 miles in...

I have had a GREAT week in terms of working out, which is good because everything else has been sort of meeeeeeeh.  On Saturday I got in a 60 miles bike, and this week I got in some doubles of swimming and running, managed to fit in a 2 hour run, and did a quick run with a 2200 yard swim today! These past couple days have made me realize how much better I feel when I workout hard all week and has really motivated me to get back into it, instead of the willy nilly workouts I have been doing.  It also helps that is has been nice, sunny, and hot...my FAVORITE workout weather.  I know a lot of people think I'm crazy, but I like to workout in the heat...sweating like crazy makes me feel like I am actually accomplishing something rather than just running/swimming/biking.

Out of all the workouts, I am most proud of the 60 mile bike, as it is the most I've ever biked, annnndd I thought I might die during the middle 15 miles.  It was definitely a mental endurance workout along with a physical one, but I made it and found some pretty sweet spots along the W&OD trail that I've never seen before.  It has made me look forward (okay, ALMOST look forward) to the next long bike.

I have exactly 150 days until IMAZ and it is literally scaring the life out of me, but on the bright side it has also made me get serious about working out.  150 days to get into great shape...150 days until what is going to be an epic day!

Stronger in the legs, not so much in the head

I have been a very bad post-er as of late! Thanks for holding the bag, Amanda, so to speak.  Last weekend was Princeton Reunions, so I was determined to get in a solid ride and run before I headed down to the Jerz for a weekend of friends and memories and general debauchery.

It was also hotter than blazes in NYC for a few days, and so my 48 mile ride in Central park (8 loops....BORING) was quite difficult as it was my first ride in the heat and even though I pounded two bottles of water, not bringing a drink mix (I like Accelerade) was a mistake, as I was definitely woozy at the end .  But it was mentally toughening to keep going through the same loop over and over again, and I felt very nice on my 9 milers the next day before the games began.

I tried to be a good girl and acknowledge that I "can't hack it like I use to" and came back to the city late Saturday night, but the temperature dropped the next few days with the tropical storm (and the buckets of rain that came with) and so did my immune system, and I was sick as a dog for a few days and did literally nothing except fall behind on training and on work.

But I finally kicked whatever it was, and after a mini run to get the blood moving and a 1.5 straight swim (it was supposed to be open water, but there is no way that can happen so long as I'm in NYC...will just have to wait for the beach or Michigania in the coming weeks), I felt good and ready to tackle a 90 (yes, NINETY) mile ride to Bear Mountain with some old swimming buddies Warren, Andy, Steve and his brother, Andrew, and their other fried Jonathan.

Well, after feeling pretty pleased with myself for navigating up from the New York Athletic Club through the city and over the GW bridge with no incidents All By Myself, I stop at Strictly Bicycles in Fort Lee, NJ, to meet up with the rest of the gang and realize that I SOMEHOW HAVE LEFT THE ZIPPERED POCKED IT MY JERSEY OPEN.  That's right.  The pocket where I keep my cash, my ID, and credit cards.  FUCK! Only my drivers license managed to stay in.  The rest was scattered somewhere in the city or over the Hudson.

So after cancelling the cards and just chalking up the cash to be my panhandling quota for the next 2 years, I hit 9W with the boys and immediate realize they are WAY to fast for me.  I insist they ditch me, and I have a nice, strong-feeling solo ride out to Nyack and the Runcible Spoon, with one stop past Piermont to confirm that yes, my Visa was indeed canceleed, and yes, I am the biggest idiot whose ever called you.

I diddle at Runcible and wait for Warren to rejoin me after he turns around after a few more miles from the other guys, who are going to tackle the Bear summit.  I just had to acknowledge that 90 miles AND intense climbs are just not at my fitness level right now, and certainly not with those guys!  And I had a little flat along the way for spice, but thankfully managed to change it without too many screams.

Warren and I head back, and then after a strong ride (for me) back, including the two climbs just after leaving Piermont that I find hard because the way the road layout is with stops, you can't build up much speed (or any) in to them, I feel victorious that I've made it back and to the bridge.  And then, WHAM.  Somehow I eat it right before getting on the bridge ramp (I think I nicked the edge of the cone without realizing it), and my dear sweet Warren, who has now witnessed a day of epic stupid luck for me, hangs with me while I get my bearings again, and still a bit shakey and bruised from the fall, slooowly cruise/walk the tricky turns down the GW bridge, back in to our fair city.

Thankfully it was fairly uneventful back, although I could feel the bruises in my left hip and side knee as well as my sore hands (thank GOODNESS I had gloves on), and while I may have lost a good bit of dignity and can't allow my self any financial treats of any kind for the next week (both as punishment for loosing the cash, and the fact that I don't have any cards), I actually feel pretty good for getting another Nyack ride under my belt (only my 2nd), and will just keep being as diligent as I can with them over the summer, slowly adding in miles past Nyack and also runs in once I get back to Manhattan.  Plus, last time, the back of my neck KILLED from riding in aero, but now it is no problem! Depending on how the bruises and feel, will be up for a nice, long lope in Brooklyn tomorrow!

Amanda: 0 Weather: 2

Twice in the past week the weather has thwarted my planned workout with unexpected torrential downpours followed by nice sunny, blue skies, only to suddenly downpour again.  Today, although it is not a cycling day in our workout plan, I decided to take a quick bike.  I figure any time I spend on my Cervelo is worth it, and it wasn't blistering hot like it was when I did my 50 miles this past weekend.

This is what I felt and looked like post bike

The problem I have when I bike during the week is that it always ends up being close to rush hour, which in DC can be brutal.  There are crazies everywhere who have no patience for cyclists.  In fact, during this ride even though it was only 3:30pm, some turd in a truck continuously honked at me while he passed WAY too close.  During rush hour there are tons of people like this, so I try to make sure to finish my bike by 4:30 or 5pm.  

Anyways, I started on my always-harrowing bike ride under sunny, blue skies, only to have it start POURING rain about 30 minutes into my ride.  I've actually never really ridden over 5 minutes in the rain, and now I had to bike another 30 minutes back to my car.  It was terrible. Not only was I afraid of slipping, but now I also had to watch out for gigantic puddles in the road while fighting drivers, who in DC also get crazy when it rains, snows, etc.

But as you can see since I am writing this blog, I successfully traversed Beach Rd. back to my car.  And although I was Nervy McNerve during the bike, I actually feel really happy with that workout because after that ride I think I won't be as nervous cycling...at least when its not raining.  The time on the bike is finally starting to pay off a tiny bit!

T-Minus 166 days until IMAZ...It's time to get serious :)