While watching the disaster flick 2012 with my hubby tonight, I kept thinking "Wow, I'm glad I'm an endurance sports junkie. I could SO better survive the apocalypse than THOSE people."
I think I'm officially a big, ol' tri-geek.
a
April's Coaching Business
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Please Pass the Training
My children have no table manners.
I have written on this very blog that my goals this year include an open marathon, a 50k trail race, and an Iron-distance triathlon.
These two things are related, whether I like that fact or not.
My husband forwarded me this link to an excellent, fact-based, objective article on Belichick's fateful Sunday night decision (if you don't know what I'm talking about read the article anyway - it's a nice little exercise in the rules of fairness).
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=dw-belichickpats111609&prov=yhoo&type=
As much as I don't want to admit it post my ranting and raving and bitterness, the guy was right. My point? Sometimes you have to just look at the facts, be fair, and swallow the truths that you really don't like.
All moms who aren't devoted to childcare 24 hours a day make choices. So do dads. Some benefit our kids...some don't. I got into triathlon because I wanted to be healthy for myself and my family. I did an Ironman to prove to my kids that you can, in fact, do anything you put your mind to.
But now, I'm gearing up training so I can get FASTER. Which clearly is for me, not for my kids. I can't exactly see Sam throwing down with some bully on the playground, "Yeah...maybe I DON'T know my ABC's. But my Mom ran a 3:45 marathon...heard your's couldn't even crack 5 hours."
And now they eat like they live in a barn. Which is unsurprising, since my house often looks like a sty.
Listen, I know what you're saying. But I DO schedule 90% my training for early morning or while they are at school...in other words, my training take VERY little actual physical time with me away from them (I won't be able to make that argument come this summer's big bike time). But mentally? Emotionally? Energetically?
I think that its all too easy for me to justify what I take away from them with platitudes like, "I want to inspire them. I want them to see me making the healthy choices." But really...isn't running 60 minutes while they are at school and then sitting down to a family dinner a healthier choice than throwing down 4000 yards in the pool at 5am, running 10 miles while they're at school, and then rushing through dinner so I can do my PT exercises so I can get in my bike and RT the next day?
If I was superwoman, then fine. But at the end of the day, after 2 or 3 workouts, work, grocery shopping, kids activities, prep for the next day, etc, I ain't left with a lot of patience and attentiveness left in the bank. And apparently, no time to teach my children how to request that someone pass them the beans.
I'm not saying that I can't be a good mom and an endurance athlete because I can. But it's gotta come from somewhere, and I feel like the true toll of trying to cram everything in needs to be spoken about somewhere in our community's celebration of PR's and podiums and the examples we set for our kids. Because at the end of the day, I wonder if it might be more important to Morgan to see me as a strong and fit 10k runner, a successful coach, and Mom who patiently taught her how to properly hold her fork and wipe her mouth, than to know that I did a 50k trail race TOO. Maybe I still need to do that race for ME, but then lets call it for what it is...selfish. Especially if my kid makes it to 7, and still can't sit 10 minutes with a napkin on her lap.
It's tough to be a parent/endurance athlete. What we do in both areas demands a LOT of time to get right. I am publically re-affirming my commitment that if one area's time allotment is gonna suffer, it ain't gonna be the parenting.
Now...off to clear off the dining room table. We've got some training to do...
a
I have written on this very blog that my goals this year include an open marathon, a 50k trail race, and an Iron-distance triathlon.
These two things are related, whether I like that fact or not.
My husband forwarded me this link to an excellent, fact-based, objective article on Belichick's fateful Sunday night decision (if you don't know what I'm talking about read the article anyway - it's a nice little exercise in the rules of fairness).
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=dw-belichickpats111609&prov=yhoo&type=
As much as I don't want to admit it post my ranting and raving and bitterness, the guy was right. My point? Sometimes you have to just look at the facts, be fair, and swallow the truths that you really don't like.
All moms who aren't devoted to childcare 24 hours a day make choices. So do dads. Some benefit our kids...some don't. I got into triathlon because I wanted to be healthy for myself and my family. I did an Ironman to prove to my kids that you can, in fact, do anything you put your mind to.
But now, I'm gearing up training so I can get FASTER. Which clearly is for me, not for my kids. I can't exactly see Sam throwing down with some bully on the playground, "Yeah...maybe I DON'T know my ABC's. But my Mom ran a 3:45 marathon...heard your's couldn't even crack 5 hours."
And now they eat like they live in a barn. Which is unsurprising, since my house often looks like a sty.
Listen, I know what you're saying. But I DO schedule 90% my training for early morning or while they are at school...in other words, my training take VERY little actual physical time with me away from them (I won't be able to make that argument come this summer's big bike time). But mentally? Emotionally? Energetically?
I think that its all too easy for me to justify what I take away from them with platitudes like, "I want to inspire them. I want them to see me making the healthy choices." But really...isn't running 60 minutes while they are at school and then sitting down to a family dinner a healthier choice than throwing down 4000 yards in the pool at 5am, running 10 miles while they're at school, and then rushing through dinner so I can do my PT exercises so I can get in my bike and RT the next day?
If I was superwoman, then fine. But at the end of the day, after 2 or 3 workouts, work, grocery shopping, kids activities, prep for the next day, etc, I ain't left with a lot of patience and attentiveness left in the bank. And apparently, no time to teach my children how to request that someone pass them the beans.
I'm not saying that I can't be a good mom and an endurance athlete because I can. But it's gotta come from somewhere, and I feel like the true toll of trying to cram everything in needs to be spoken about somewhere in our community's celebration of PR's and podiums and the examples we set for our kids. Because at the end of the day, I wonder if it might be more important to Morgan to see me as a strong and fit 10k runner, a successful coach, and Mom who patiently taught her how to properly hold her fork and wipe her mouth, than to know that I did a 50k trail race TOO. Maybe I still need to do that race for ME, but then lets call it for what it is...selfish. Especially if my kid makes it to 7, and still can't sit 10 minutes with a napkin on her lap.
It's tough to be a parent/endurance athlete. What we do in both areas demands a LOT of time to get right. I am publically re-affirming my commitment that if one area's time allotment is gonna suffer, it ain't gonna be the parenting.
Now...off to clear off the dining room table. We've got some training to do...
a
Sunday, November 15, 2009
One of those days...
I like the way this day is going.
First order of business: Board meeting to pass the bylaws for the TriROK Foundation so that we can complete our 501(c)(3) filing and incorporation this week. Thanks to our awesome Board of Directors a powerful force for good is becoming reality. Once our inital strategic planning is completed I will be forthcoming with info on how everyone can get involved. I cannot WAIT!!! I'm so psyched.
Second order of business, 12 mile long run. Based on my balky hip (didn't love my LT session on the bike yesterday) I decided to cut some mileage off and go progressive run instead of LSD. I did repeats of the 1.35 mile Bradley Palmer State Forest Road which is VERY similar to the rail trail that the B&A Marathon is held on. It's also mental torture to go back and forth like that, so I figured it was good mental training. It was also really funny because my last two laps my friends Wynn and Sarah and their families were walking the trail so I had a little cheering section that I kept passing. That was a nice distraction!
So 4 laps (8 lengths) got me 10.8 miles. The first 5.4 miles I eased in and averaged 9:40's. The second 5.4 miles I averaged 8:08's.
Let that sink in....and no, I am not lying.
That, my friends, would come out to an average of 8:52 per mile for 10.8 miles. On a Sunday training run, no race included.
That is not a fast pace for most runners, but this is ME. And that's FAST. For. Me. That pace, for me, implies a major increase in LT. I am HAPPY.
It's not all sunshine and roses. For one, it was cool, cloudy, and wet. In other words, do not ask me to reproduce that run on a warm, sunny day. I get that. Secondly, I can barely walk up the stairs right now, my hip/butt/back/pelvis are bugging me so bad. BUT...nothing some rolling, icing, and stretching can't fix :)
Now if that Pats can only smoke "my little ponies" tonight, my day will be complete!
a
First order of business: Board meeting to pass the bylaws for the TriROK Foundation so that we can complete our 501(c)(3) filing and incorporation this week. Thanks to our awesome Board of Directors a powerful force for good is becoming reality. Once our inital strategic planning is completed I will be forthcoming with info on how everyone can get involved. I cannot WAIT!!! I'm so psyched.
Second order of business, 12 mile long run. Based on my balky hip (didn't love my LT session on the bike yesterday) I decided to cut some mileage off and go progressive run instead of LSD. I did repeats of the 1.35 mile Bradley Palmer State Forest Road which is VERY similar to the rail trail that the B&A Marathon is held on. It's also mental torture to go back and forth like that, so I figured it was good mental training. It was also really funny because my last two laps my friends Wynn and Sarah and their families were walking the trail so I had a little cheering section that I kept passing. That was a nice distraction!
So 4 laps (8 lengths) got me 10.8 miles. The first 5.4 miles I eased in and averaged 9:40's. The second 5.4 miles I averaged 8:08's.
Let that sink in....and no, I am not lying.
That, my friends, would come out to an average of 8:52 per mile for 10.8 miles. On a Sunday training run, no race included.
That is not a fast pace for most runners, but this is ME. And that's FAST. For. Me. That pace, for me, implies a major increase in LT. I am HAPPY.
It's not all sunshine and roses. For one, it was cool, cloudy, and wet. In other words, do not ask me to reproduce that run on a warm, sunny day. I get that. Secondly, I can barely walk up the stairs right now, my hip/butt/back/pelvis are bugging me so bad. BUT...nothing some rolling, icing, and stretching can't fix :)
Now if that Pats can only smoke "my little ponies" tonight, my day will be complete!
a
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Moment of Commitment
I just got my results from my first tests at psychofit, and unsurprisingly, I did best on the tests that involved competition. On things where we went one at a time, and/or I couldn't see/didn't know other folks results, I didn't do as well. But if "racing" is involved, then I tend to kick it up a notch.
It got me to thinking about that all important moment in every competition, where you either decide to go all in or ease up on the gas. I call it the moment of commitment. If you truly commit and bring every last cell to bear on the desperate act of winning (or making a specific time) the physical and psychological toll increases exponentially, as does the potential risk and reward.
We've all had that moment and most of us have gone either way at some point. Someone in your age group passes you on the run with a mile to go. You either a) say fuck it let her go and hold your pace or even get deflated and slow down, or b) you snarl and latch onto her heels and decide to hold on until the bitch breaks.
Uh...think I got a little too in the moment there. Sorry.
If I let the decision be conscious, I tend to let them go. If I go all in, I have no excuse if she beats me. If I try my hardest and she wins, then she's better than me. That's a really uncomfortably vulnerable place for me and my conscious mind likes to protect me from such places.
If I don't think, however, and just "go" with my body in the moment, I will ALWAYS go for broke. In our little psychofit tests, everything was over in a heartbeat...a minute at most. No time to think = good for me. Just compete - there's no thought of what you look like, how much it hurts, what will happen if you give your all and get beaten. There's just that guy running next to you towards the finish and you need to beat him.
It highlights a major problem I have with long-course triathlons....too much time to think. Short-course I can often times (but not always - and never on the bike or swim since I'm always conserving for the run - my weakness) go into my zone on the run where I don't have conscious thought...I am just physically present in the moment. I feel the "hurt" but its expected and absorbed while I just let my body go. Even more rarely I can "think to my advantage" by getting rageful and stubborn and just hunting someone down (and it has to be SHORT course...think Wilbraham, Nahant, JCC). More often than not, though, if I think, I will not compete. I will not go all out, I will not commit.
But that's the past, and this is now.
Major off-season focus: if I want to kick-ass at long-course (which I know I can) then I need to a) learn how to stay in my body (and out of my head) over long periods of time and b) think to my advantage when those moments of commitment show up...not moments of continuation (i.e. when you just keep moving when you want to stop - I'm good at those), but moments of COMMITMENT (when you keep moving FAST when you want to stop). Since I cannot eliminate my fear of failure, I need to redefine what failure is. In the past, failure was not finishing my IM. Now failure is not finishing it as fast as I can go. If that means I spit the bit and DNF, that's better than cruising through to the finish line.
The first step to achievement is recognition of the goal....
a
It got me to thinking about that all important moment in every competition, where you either decide to go all in or ease up on the gas. I call it the moment of commitment. If you truly commit and bring every last cell to bear on the desperate act of winning (or making a specific time) the physical and psychological toll increases exponentially, as does the potential risk and reward.
We've all had that moment and most of us have gone either way at some point. Someone in your age group passes you on the run with a mile to go. You either a) say fuck it let her go and hold your pace or even get deflated and slow down, or b) you snarl and latch onto her heels and decide to hold on until the bitch breaks.
Uh...think I got a little too in the moment there. Sorry.
If I let the decision be conscious, I tend to let them go. If I go all in, I have no excuse if she beats me. If I try my hardest and she wins, then she's better than me. That's a really uncomfortably vulnerable place for me and my conscious mind likes to protect me from such places.
If I don't think, however, and just "go" with my body in the moment, I will ALWAYS go for broke. In our little psychofit tests, everything was over in a heartbeat...a minute at most. No time to think = good for me. Just compete - there's no thought of what you look like, how much it hurts, what will happen if you give your all and get beaten. There's just that guy running next to you towards the finish and you need to beat him.
It highlights a major problem I have with long-course triathlons....too much time to think. Short-course I can often times (but not always - and never on the bike or swim since I'm always conserving for the run - my weakness) go into my zone on the run where I don't have conscious thought...I am just physically present in the moment. I feel the "hurt" but its expected and absorbed while I just let my body go. Even more rarely I can "think to my advantage" by getting rageful and stubborn and just hunting someone down (and it has to be SHORT course...think Wilbraham, Nahant, JCC). More often than not, though, if I think, I will not compete. I will not go all out, I will not commit.
But that's the past, and this is now.
Major off-season focus: if I want to kick-ass at long-course (which I know I can) then I need to a) learn how to stay in my body (and out of my head) over long periods of time and b) think to my advantage when those moments of commitment show up...not moments of continuation (i.e. when you just keep moving when you want to stop - I'm good at those), but moments of COMMITMENT (when you keep moving FAST when you want to stop). Since I cannot eliminate my fear of failure, I need to redefine what failure is. In the past, failure was not finishing my IM. Now failure is not finishing it as fast as I can go. If that means I spit the bit and DNF, that's better than cruising through to the finish line.
The first step to achievement is recognition of the goal....
a
Gloucester Fisherman Triathlon
Janda's competitive spirit benefits you in this race...he doesn't just SAY he wants it to be the best sprint out there - he actually does what it takes to make it that way. Together with a legion of community groups and leaders, they transform Gloucester into a triathlete's paradise. OK...the bike course is still a little piece of hell, but admit it, you like it that way :)
Make like Nike, and just do it.
a
Monday, November 9, 2009
Taking Shape
Sorry things have been so quiet on the blog front. For once, that's actually a good sign.
With the exception of a little chest cold over the last week and a couple of sprained ankles on the trail, my run training has been consistant and encouraging. Good enough, in fact, that I finally felt bold enough to actually register for the B&A Trail Marathon on March 7, 2010. When I hit the "confirm" button, I actually squealed with excitement (just ask my husband, who looked quite startled).
In fact, next season is starting to take shape. Get ready for more squealing.
(Preseason for fun: Gabes Run on November 27th, some local 5ks and 10ks)
February 7th: Mid-Winter Classic 10-Miler, Cape Elizabeth, ME
March 7th: B&A Trails Marathon, Severna Park, MD
April 18th: Forget the PR Mohican 50k Trail Race, Loudonville, OH
May: a few sprints, a few trail races, a few road races
June/July: lots of ECV TT :)
June 19th: Patriot Half, Freetown, MA
July: ECGA 10K Trail Race, Hamilton, MA (as long as I don't feel like I'm cruising for an injury)
August 8th: Gloucester Tri, Gloucester, MA (that bike on some tired legs??? OUCH!)
August 29th: Cranberry Olympic, Lakeville, MA
September 25th: ChesapeakeMan Ultra Triathlon, Cambridge, MD (that's right...the Ironman Corporation ain't getting no $2K outta me this year!)
October: Tufts 10K and Ravenswood Trail Race
Goals? I got 'em. I even got REASONS for 'em, but you don't get to know those :) I like to take things one at a time, so the only big goals I have right now are for B&A and ChesapeakeMan. Due to those goals, I am going to scale back the trail running and stick to really easy double track and roads for the rest of the fall and winter. Said goals are:
1) Get stronger and stay healthy.
2) Don't get injured.
3) Don't get hurt.
4) Run, bike and swim without pain from an injury.
5)....OK...you get the picture
Right around goal number 189, I can move on to:
189) Don't get injured WHILE running the B&A Trail Marathon
190) Achieve race fueling, GI tract, and cyclical (ahem) nirvana for March 7th
191) Go under 4 hours at B&A
192) Run 3:55:12 or less (8:59 min/mile pace) at B&A...yes, it's arbitrary. I don't care.
193) Hold onto that run fitness while I train my ass off on the bike all summer. Go under 12 hours at ChesapeakeMan. It would help if I could reduce my previous IM transition time from 25+ minutes to about 10 minutes so that will be a focus ;)
Lest you would think these things easy for me given my short distance PRs, you would be wrong. Very wrong. As my old coach once said to me, "April...your LT SUCKS!" The key for me is being able to put in the volume necessary to achieve speed over distance and drive that LT up, WITHOUT getting injured. See goals 1-188. While you're seeing those goals, I'll be seeing Sara Thatcher and running VERY carefully :)
Speaking of Sara, she has finally fixed my pelvis. Hip is almost there too. That's made getting back on the bike a lot more fun. Bike you say? Yes...I still own one. And I'm actually climbing on him a couple times a week. Weather like this doesn't hurt!
Ironically, back to the bike inspired back to the pool (ok...occasionally), and while I just can't get to structured practices based on my schedule, I'm doing ok on my own for right now. Won't be a huge point of emphasis for me this year, since I feel like I didn't really get as much bang for my buck working so hard on it last IM go-around. I had no real trouble pounding out 10x100 @1:35 the other day, so I feel like my form is doing well (I have NO swim conditioning at this point).
Three huge keys for me have been (in this order):
1) Sara putting my body back together post-crash and even improving upon my pre-race mechanics
2) Getting the thyroid and anemia situations adequately addressed (finally) so that I can train and recover to the full limits of my physiology
3) Pyschofit. It's not that its rocket science, but having someone else tell you what to do and a bunch of other folks to throw down with is awfully helpful. You know its good when you are excited that a third 6am class might be added...and you can't wait to go! I feel like I'm the most well-rounded "strong" I've ever been.
I'm not even going to knock on wood after saying all this because there's no jinxing smart training, nutrition and attention to detail. If anything derails this season it won't be anything I could have prevented. Now I'm just genuinely excited to see what my body can do. And no matter what it does, I'm determined to practice "positive discontent": to never be satisfied, but proud of everything I accomplish.
a
With the exception of a little chest cold over the last week and a couple of sprained ankles on the trail, my run training has been consistant and encouraging. Good enough, in fact, that I finally felt bold enough to actually register for the B&A Trail Marathon on March 7, 2010. When I hit the "confirm" button, I actually squealed with excitement (just ask my husband, who looked quite startled).
In fact, next season is starting to take shape. Get ready for more squealing.
(Preseason for fun: Gabes Run on November 27th, some local 5ks and 10ks)
February 7th: Mid-Winter Classic 10-Miler, Cape Elizabeth, ME
March 7th: B&A Trails Marathon, Severna Park, MD
April 18th: Forget the PR Mohican 50k Trail Race, Loudonville, OH
May: a few sprints, a few trail races, a few road races
June/July: lots of ECV TT :)
June 19th: Patriot Half, Freetown, MA
July: ECGA 10K Trail Race, Hamilton, MA (as long as I don't feel like I'm cruising for an injury)
August 8th: Gloucester Tri, Gloucester, MA (that bike on some tired legs??? OUCH!)
August 29th: Cranberry Olympic, Lakeville, MA
September 25th: ChesapeakeMan Ultra Triathlon, Cambridge, MD (that's right...the Ironman Corporation ain't getting no $2K outta me this year!)
October: Tufts 10K and Ravenswood Trail Race
Goals? I got 'em. I even got REASONS for 'em, but you don't get to know those :) I like to take things one at a time, so the only big goals I have right now are for B&A and ChesapeakeMan. Due to those goals, I am going to scale back the trail running and stick to really easy double track and roads for the rest of the fall and winter. Said goals are:
1) Get stronger and stay healthy.
2) Don't get injured.
3) Don't get hurt.
4) Run, bike and swim without pain from an injury.
5)....OK...you get the picture
Right around goal number 189, I can move on to:
189) Don't get injured WHILE running the B&A Trail Marathon
190) Achieve race fueling, GI tract, and cyclical (ahem) nirvana for March 7th
191) Go under 4 hours at B&A
192) Run 3:55:12 or less (8:59 min/mile pace) at B&A...yes, it's arbitrary. I don't care.
193) Hold onto that run fitness while I train my ass off on the bike all summer. Go under 12 hours at ChesapeakeMan. It would help if I could reduce my previous IM transition time from 25+ minutes to about 10 minutes so that will be a focus ;)
Lest you would think these things easy for me given my short distance PRs, you would be wrong. Very wrong. As my old coach once said to me, "April...your LT SUCKS!" The key for me is being able to put in the volume necessary to achieve speed over distance and drive that LT up, WITHOUT getting injured. See goals 1-188. While you're seeing those goals, I'll be seeing Sara Thatcher and running VERY carefully :)
Speaking of Sara, she has finally fixed my pelvis. Hip is almost there too. That's made getting back on the bike a lot more fun. Bike you say? Yes...I still own one. And I'm actually climbing on him a couple times a week. Weather like this doesn't hurt!
Ironically, back to the bike inspired back to the pool (ok...occasionally), and while I just can't get to structured practices based on my schedule, I'm doing ok on my own for right now. Won't be a huge point of emphasis for me this year, since I feel like I didn't really get as much bang for my buck working so hard on it last IM go-around. I had no real trouble pounding out 10x100 @1:35 the other day, so I feel like my form is doing well (I have NO swim conditioning at this point).
Three huge keys for me have been (in this order):
1) Sara putting my body back together post-crash and even improving upon my pre-race mechanics
2) Getting the thyroid and anemia situations adequately addressed (finally) so that I can train and recover to the full limits of my physiology
3) Pyschofit. It's not that its rocket science, but having someone else tell you what to do and a bunch of other folks to throw down with is awfully helpful. You know its good when you are excited that a third 6am class might be added...and you can't wait to go! I feel like I'm the most well-rounded "strong" I've ever been.
I'm not even going to knock on wood after saying all this because there's no jinxing smart training, nutrition and attention to detail. If anything derails this season it won't be anything I could have prevented. Now I'm just genuinely excited to see what my body can do. And no matter what it does, I'm determined to practice "positive discontent": to never be satisfied, but proud of everything I accomplish.
a
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
As Arte Johnson would say...
For all: 5'5" (small frame designation based on elbow and wrist measurements)
CDC ideal weight range: 112-148 (honestly? that's a pretty wide range!), BF% 14-20 for athletes
October 23rd, 1999 (before kids and starting to run)
147 lbs.
30% body fat
size 10/12
April 14th, 2007 (before 1st 1/2 ironman)
117 lbs.
19% body fat
size 0
September 7th, 2008 (before IMWI)
123.5 lbs.
18% body fat
size 2
November 4th, 2009 (now)
130.2 lbs.
23% body fat
size 4
Veddy interesting...
a
CDC ideal weight range: 112-148 (honestly? that's a pretty wide range!), BF% 14-20 for athletes
October 23rd, 1999 (before kids and starting to run)
147 lbs.
30% body fat
size 10/12
April 14th, 2007 (before 1st 1/2 ironman)
117 lbs.
19% body fat
size 0
September 7th, 2008 (before IMWI)
123.5 lbs.
18% body fat
size 2
November 4th, 2009 (now)
130.2 lbs.
23% body fat
size 4
Veddy interesting...
a
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
So You Think You Can Swim? (or...This Is What It SHOULD Look Like...)
Need Motivation?
My Support Team
It was so hot at the Cranberry Olympic in 2007...the best part of finishing was seeing my kids and the water they gave me!
Always Remember the Joy
That's why we do this stuff, right?
shape
Shape Magazine Article
