What a weekend that was!
Last Friday I said that, if all goes well, I will get 63.5k worth of exercise done before the weekend was over.
Well, I got'er done.
I cycled 28k on Friday morning. It went well and I was grateful for the chance to move and get my heart rate up before a long day at the office that involved much more sitting than I would ever want.
After work, Doug and I enjoyed a wonderful evening on the golf course with friends we haven't seen in over a month.
Things have been going well on the golf course lately and every game I have played in the last two weeks has been better than the last.
I logged a 105 which, for someone who has been struggling to break 120 for months, felt pretty wicked.
Saturday morning, we got up early and I headed out for 14k. I was not sure what to expect because a) my shoes are probably 200km too old for long runs but the new ones I ordered weeks ago are in running shoe neverland so I had no other option but to try it b) the humidity was pretty oppressive and c) when I tried 12k the weekend before, I had to quit after 11k due to a pesky plugged ear low blood pressure drop like the ones that plagued me last spring.
All that being said, I headed out with a water belt full of Nuun, back up salt tablets and a goal to run at a pace that kept my heart rate down. I did, my shoes didn't cause too much discomfort, my ears didn't start plugging until 12k and I ran 14k without much of a problem.
A quick shower, coffee and lunch later we were back on the golf course for the afternoon.
The golf gods much have been feeling generous because I had an even better game than the day before. At the end of the game, the golf pro drove by and said "I heard you played a 105 yesterday". "That's nothing" I replied. "I just shot a 102 today".
That got me a big grin and a fist bump.
Sunday morning, we were up before the sun and en route to Toronto. I met up with my sister and we headed to Toronto Island for the Lake Swim event.
The lake looked as flat as a pane of glass and was 20C. I pulled on my wetsuit expecting a fun, easy, fast race. Which it was for the first 100m or so. Until I ran into the rolling waves that were not noticeable from shore but were surprisingly high and rolling when you were face down swimming in them. As someone who trains in very flat and calm open water, this was when things got a little hairy.
I quickly developed some swimming skills I didn't have before. After a few mouthfuls of water, I learned to breath only on one side so that I never turned into the wave to breathe. The were a few times when I turned to breathe and a wave rolled over my open mouth but, for the most part, my trick worked. I also discovered that I get rather nauseated in that kind of environment. Who knew seasickness was a concern in open water swims? I sure didn't. I learned that every time I raised my head to sight, the dizziness got much worse so I cut down on my sighting. I usually sight every six strokes. I was doing it every 9-12 instead, trying to space out the stomach lurching.
At one point I debated turning around to see how my sister was holding up and make sure that she was ok. I figured that, if I was struggling, she certainly was too. In the end, I couldn't stomach the thought and just kept moving with the goal to finish as quickly as possible. I just hoped she was doing ok.
All that being said, I finished 1,500m in 31:25 and, after stumbling over to a log and sitting with my head down for a few minutes, I felt much better. My sister finished a few minutes later and announced with a smile that it was the easiest open water race that she had ever done.
Guess there was no need for me to go back for her eh?
The weekend was over in a flash and roared by at a pace that I couldn't sustain for too long. But it sure was fun!
Monday, in case anyone was wondering, is most definitely a rest day.
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Monday, August 17, 2015
Friday, August 14, 2015
Sixty Three Point Five
By the time this blog post is posted I will have gone for a Friday morning 28k bike ride.
After work tonight I am playing 18 holes of golf which means I'm walking 10k.
Saturday morning, I'm running 14k as part of my half marathon training plan.
Saturday afternoon, we are golfing another 18 holes of golf which means another 10k of walking.
Sunday I am heading to Toronto for a 1500m open water swim race in Lake Ontario.
If all goes well and there are no rogue thunder storms to ruin my plans, I will have clocked 63.5k of exercise between Friday morning and Sunday afternoon.
Some people look forward to weekends so they can relax.
I look forward to weekends so I can move.
Moving, as we all know, does a body good.
It's also rather addictive. The more you do it, the more your body wants it. As an added bonus, the more I do it, the more my blood sugars are happy.
By Sunday evening, I will be pleasantly worn out and more than happy to flop on the couch. But it will be that good kinda worn out where the body feels powerful and strong and proud of all the things it can do. And my blood sugar will be hovering in a range where I can enjoy a few pieces of chocolate and probably not even need to bolus for them.
How wonderful is that?
After work tonight I am playing 18 holes of golf which means I'm walking 10k.
Saturday morning, I'm running 14k as part of my half marathon training plan.
Saturday afternoon, we are golfing another 18 holes of golf which means another 10k of walking.
Sunday I am heading to Toronto for a 1500m open water swim race in Lake Ontario.
If all goes well and there are no rogue thunder storms to ruin my plans, I will have clocked 63.5k of exercise between Friday morning and Sunday afternoon.
Some people look forward to weekends so they can relax.
I look forward to weekends so I can move.
Moving, as we all know, does a body good.
It's also rather addictive. The more you do it, the more your body wants it. As an added bonus, the more I do it, the more my blood sugars are happy.
By Sunday evening, I will be pleasantly worn out and more than happy to flop on the couch. But it will be that good kinda worn out where the body feels powerful and strong and proud of all the things it can do. And my blood sugar will be hovering in a range where I can enjoy a few pieces of chocolate and probably not even need to bolus for them.
How wonderful is that?
Monday, August 10, 2015
What's a Girl to do?
It's decision time.
As much as I'd love the idea of having all sorts of free time so that I could run, bike, swim and golf to my heart's content - I don't.
There are these things called 'work' and 'sleep' that take up a whole bunch of hours and then there's the fact that I kinda like spending time with Doug, that I kinda like to cook and eat and do the odd load of laundry.
So there really just isn't enough time in the week to do everything I want to do.
Which means that there are times when I need to make decisions. When doing one thing clearly means not doing another.
On Saturday, I ran 11k. Why?
Because a) there was no triathlon club brick workout and b) there is a half marathon in October that I kinda want to do.
So I ran 11k because, when I count backwards, Saturday is the first official long run of the training plan if I want to get all my runs and distance in.
So I ran 11k.
Problem is that next Saturday, there is a triathlon club brick workout. And next Sunday, I have a 1500m open water race that I'm doing with my sister. And there is no way that I will have the time or the energy to do both of those things AND run 14k.
The following weekend gets worse. A brick workout and a 16k run? Now we're bordering on unwise and overtraining.
It comes down to this. If I want to do the triathlon club for the rest of this season, I don't think I can safely and sensibly train for a fall half marathon. And if I want to train for a fall half-marathon, I don't think I can do the triathlon club. At least not this year.
What is a girl to do?
I've been going back and forth about this for a week now and I'm still not 100% in one camp or another but I think I've made a decision.
I will train for a fall half marathon. If the training goes well, I'll run it. If it doesn't. If I spend every long run battling low blood pressure, plugged ears and other annoyances like I did last spring, I'll pull the plug and perhaps get in a few brick workouts in September.
And next spring, I will be more focused in how and when I race so that a Saturday morning brick workout enhances my workout schedule instead of overdoing it.
As much as I'd love the idea of having all sorts of free time so that I could run, bike, swim and golf to my heart's content - I don't.
There are these things called 'work' and 'sleep' that take up a whole bunch of hours and then there's the fact that I kinda like spending time with Doug, that I kinda like to cook and eat and do the odd load of laundry.
So there really just isn't enough time in the week to do everything I want to do.
Which means that there are times when I need to make decisions. When doing one thing clearly means not doing another.
On Saturday, I ran 11k. Why?
Because a) there was no triathlon club brick workout and b) there is a half marathon in October that I kinda want to do.
So I ran 11k because, when I count backwards, Saturday is the first official long run of the training plan if I want to get all my runs and distance in.
So I ran 11k.
Problem is that next Saturday, there is a triathlon club brick workout. And next Sunday, I have a 1500m open water race that I'm doing with my sister. And there is no way that I will have the time or the energy to do both of those things AND run 14k.
The following weekend gets worse. A brick workout and a 16k run? Now we're bordering on unwise and overtraining.
It comes down to this. If I want to do the triathlon club for the rest of this season, I don't think I can safely and sensibly train for a fall half marathon. And if I want to train for a fall half-marathon, I don't think I can do the triathlon club. At least not this year.
What is a girl to do?
I've been going back and forth about this for a week now and I'm still not 100% in one camp or another but I think I've made a decision.
I will train for a fall half marathon. If the training goes well, I'll run it. If it doesn't. If I spend every long run battling low blood pressure, plugged ears and other annoyances like I did last spring, I'll pull the plug and perhaps get in a few brick workouts in September.
And next spring, I will be more focused in how and when I race so that a Saturday morning brick workout enhances my workout schedule instead of overdoing it.
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
July Report Card
It's a few days late but I blame it on the long weekend and a brick workout that seemed more interesting to write about. Here's July's workout report:
Cycling
I have been making more time for cycling and am loving the quite early-morning rides. I cycled 8 times in July and covered 251km
Running
Running has been going well. It's taking a bit of a back seat to cycling at the moment which is fine since I'm not training for any long-distance races at the moment. I ran 9 times in July and covered 68km.
Swimming
I did not set foot in a chlorinated pool in July which was fine by me. I did manage to get five open-water swims in and covered 7k. I'm much happier when I'm swimming with the fishes...so to speak.
Golf
Golf has been wonderful lately. I'm getting several games in each week and it's so nice to be outside and moving so much. I played 10 games in July and walked 77.5km.
I think this month may be the month where I covered the most distance...ever.
Four hundred and three kilometres!
That's crazy.
By the end of June I had covered 1382km in 2015. Add this month to it and I am now at 1785.5km.
So how far am I in my journey to Regina? Well I blew past Thunder Bay and have left it in my dust. I am now about 25km outside of Dryden and am closing in fast on the Manitoba border. Getting there!
Cycling
I have been making more time for cycling and am loving the quite early-morning rides. I cycled 8 times in July and covered 251km
Running
Running has been going well. It's taking a bit of a back seat to cycling at the moment which is fine since I'm not training for any long-distance races at the moment. I ran 9 times in July and covered 68km.
Swimming
I did not set foot in a chlorinated pool in July which was fine by me. I did manage to get five open-water swims in and covered 7k. I'm much happier when I'm swimming with the fishes...so to speak.
Golf
Golf has been wonderful lately. I'm getting several games in each week and it's so nice to be outside and moving so much. I played 10 games in July and walked 77.5km.
I think this month may be the month where I covered the most distance...ever.
Four hundred and three kilometres!
That's crazy.
By the end of June I had covered 1382km in 2015. Add this month to it and I am now at 1785.5km.
So how far am I in my journey to Regina? Well I blew past Thunder Bay and have left it in my dust. I am now about 25km outside of Dryden and am closing in fast on the Manitoba border. Getting there!
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
My First Official Brick Workout
Saturday morning I woke up before my alarm. I immediately turned my basal insulin down to 50% for 4 hours. I got dressed, had a bowl of Dorset cereal with kefir and a banana sliced on top for which I took 1.5 units of insulin instead of 5.
I was heading to my first Saturday morning brick training workout and had no idea what to do with my insulin or my blood sugar. I was playing it very conservatively because I did not want to find myself having to pull over in the middle of a workout due to a low.
I tossed my running shoes and my glucometer into a bag, along with six emergency packages of fruit chews (in addition to the four that were already shoved into my the bag on my bike) and headed off. I was the first one to arrive. Followed soon after by three very young, lean, fit-looking people with bikes that could eat mine for breakfast.
I forced myself not to bolt and ignored the voice in my head that said to run away now while no one knew me so they'd never know who the crazy girl was who showed up and then left.
Two friends showed up, thank heavens, and assured me that I would indeed be fine. Perhaps a little tired at the end but fine.
The plan for the day was the following. Cycle about 5k to one of the athlete's houses. Our coach would bring his car loaded with our shoes and meet us there. Then head off for a hilly 12k (or so) ride (at tempo pace) to a meeting point. From there, we would do a 5 1/2k loop at race pace. Most people would do it three times. A few of us, including me, would do it twice. Cycle back to our shoes. Go for a run. My run was to be a 2k run (run out 1k, turn around, run back), rest two minutes, then run out 1k again, rest 1 minute, and run back 1k. Cycle about 6k home.
Grand total: 42k of riding. 4k of running. Time spent moving: a little over 2 hours.
That's how it worked out on paper. Here's how it worked out in real life.
Five minutes before leaving, my pump alarmed to tell me that battery in my continuous glucose monitor transmitter was low and instructed me to order a new one. Bloody hell! I've worn this transmitter for about 8 months now. I knew that would happen eventually but not on the Saturday of a long weekend. I couldn't order a new one until Tuesday now and I have no idea how long a low battery will survive. Hours? Days? Weeks? I tossed my glucometer in my bag just in case and headed out, grateful for and yet cursing technology.
I kept up fairly well during the warm-up ride. Everyone did a 'leisurely' 25km/hour pace and I pedalled madly to keep up. It worked. I was quite warm quite quickly.
The tempo ride up and down the hills outside of town was faster than my race pace. It was crazy. Everyone else was just gone. One friend, who was on an easy week to recover from her Olympic triathlon the week before, held back with me but the rest of the group was just gone. I would have despaired if I wasn't so freaking proud of myself for keeping up such an aggressive pace (for me anyway).
Then came the 5 1/2k loops. "I want you to race this" were the instructions. And I want your times at the end of the loop because we'll do this again in a few weeks.
"I've been going faster than race pace already" I mumbled. "This should be interesting".
It was. The loop had some pretty tough sections with some pretty steep hills. I pedalled hard up the hills and hard on the flats. We finished the loop in about 14 minutes. Rest two minutes and do it again.
The instructions on the way back were 'go at tempo pace. Don't race it but it shouldn't be easy.'
I was dropped, and I mean dropped, within a minute. I lost sight of everyone despite forcing my tired legs to dig deep and hold a 30+ km/hour pace on anything that looked remotely flat. By the time I made it back to the meeting point, everyone else was in the running shoes and ready to run.
I changed quickly, received my instructions and headed off...for what turned out to be a really good run.
I ran the kilometres in 6:12, 6:18, 5:49 and 5:54 min/k. Anyone who knows my running speed knows that this is crazy fast. And yet it felt pretty comfortable.
I cycled home, guzzled my chocolate milk, stretched, showered and spent the day not doing too much. It was fun and I'll definitely do it again.
Blood sugar report: I hung out around 10.0 for most of the bike ride. I had dropped to 7.9 by the time we were ready to cycle back so I had a package of fruit chews. I finished the run at 8.9 and was 6.9 by the time I got home. That, my friends, is success!
I was heading to my first Saturday morning brick training workout and had no idea what to do with my insulin or my blood sugar. I was playing it very conservatively because I did not want to find myself having to pull over in the middle of a workout due to a low.
I tossed my running shoes and my glucometer into a bag, along with six emergency packages of fruit chews (in addition to the four that were already shoved into my the bag on my bike) and headed off. I was the first one to arrive. Followed soon after by three very young, lean, fit-looking people with bikes that could eat mine for breakfast.
I forced myself not to bolt and ignored the voice in my head that said to run away now while no one knew me so they'd never know who the crazy girl was who showed up and then left.
Two friends showed up, thank heavens, and assured me that I would indeed be fine. Perhaps a little tired at the end but fine.
The plan for the day was the following. Cycle about 5k to one of the athlete's houses. Our coach would bring his car loaded with our shoes and meet us there. Then head off for a hilly 12k (or so) ride (at tempo pace) to a meeting point. From there, we would do a 5 1/2k loop at race pace. Most people would do it three times. A few of us, including me, would do it twice. Cycle back to our shoes. Go for a run. My run was to be a 2k run (run out 1k, turn around, run back), rest two minutes, then run out 1k again, rest 1 minute, and run back 1k. Cycle about 6k home.
Grand total: 42k of riding. 4k of running. Time spent moving: a little over 2 hours.
That's how it worked out on paper. Here's how it worked out in real life.
Five minutes before leaving, my pump alarmed to tell me that battery in my continuous glucose monitor transmitter was low and instructed me to order a new one. Bloody hell! I've worn this transmitter for about 8 months now. I knew that would happen eventually but not on the Saturday of a long weekend. I couldn't order a new one until Tuesday now and I have no idea how long a low battery will survive. Hours? Days? Weeks? I tossed my glucometer in my bag just in case and headed out, grateful for and yet cursing technology.
I kept up fairly well during the warm-up ride. Everyone did a 'leisurely' 25km/hour pace and I pedalled madly to keep up. It worked. I was quite warm quite quickly.
The tempo ride up and down the hills outside of town was faster than my race pace. It was crazy. Everyone else was just gone. One friend, who was on an easy week to recover from her Olympic triathlon the week before, held back with me but the rest of the group was just gone. I would have despaired if I wasn't so freaking proud of myself for keeping up such an aggressive pace (for me anyway).
Then came the 5 1/2k loops. "I want you to race this" were the instructions. And I want your times at the end of the loop because we'll do this again in a few weeks.
"I've been going faster than race pace already" I mumbled. "This should be interesting".
It was. The loop had some pretty tough sections with some pretty steep hills. I pedalled hard up the hills and hard on the flats. We finished the loop in about 14 minutes. Rest two minutes and do it again.
The instructions on the way back were 'go at tempo pace. Don't race it but it shouldn't be easy.'
I was dropped, and I mean dropped, within a minute. I lost sight of everyone despite forcing my tired legs to dig deep and hold a 30+ km/hour pace on anything that looked remotely flat. By the time I made it back to the meeting point, everyone else was in the running shoes and ready to run.
I changed quickly, received my instructions and headed off...for what turned out to be a really good run.
I ran the kilometres in 6:12, 6:18, 5:49 and 5:54 min/k. Anyone who knows my running speed knows that this is crazy fast. And yet it felt pretty comfortable.
I cycled home, guzzled my chocolate milk, stretched, showered and spent the day not doing too much. It was fun and I'll definitely do it again.
Blood sugar report: I hung out around 10.0 for most of the bike ride. I had dropped to 7.9 by the time we were ready to cycle back so I had a package of fruit chews. I finished the run at 8.9 and was 6.9 by the time I got home. That, my friends, is success!
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Just Like a Fingerprint
When I first started running, I noticed pretty quickly that every runner seems to have their own particular stride. In fact, most are so distinctive that I can usually spot the runner I'm looking for when they are still a pretty small spot on the horizon. Perhaps it's the way they bounce when they run. Or the fact that they don't bounce at all. Or the way their arms swing, or don't swing. It's most likely a combination of a bunch of tiny things that each runner does but the end result is a running stride as unique as a fingerprint and it has helped me scout for runners in all sorts of races.
Swimming is apparently like that too. I have spent a lot of time swimming but I haven't spent a lot of time watching swimmers. Especially swimmers I know. I've never watched Doug compete in a triathlon from a position where I could see the swim portion. So I have no idea if I could spot his arms among all the other wetsuit-clad arms out there. He has assured me that I was pretty noticeable in races that he has watched so I guess it must be true.
Cycling, well, I haven't noticed too many different kinds of cycling techniques. At least not to the point where I can recognize someone from afar by their spinning legs. Usually I am watching for helmet, bike and shirt colour combinations. White helmet, grey bike and red shirt typically means I've spotted Doug. Long lanky legs usually help confirm this but are the last thing I notice, not the first.
I'm saying all this because yesterday after work I squeezed in a 15-minute golf lesson. During the lesson, I had to hit balls at a Trackman which is basically a large screen with all sorts of funky sensors. When my ball hits the screen, it analyses the angle, the speed, etc etc and it spits out all kinds of data that can help explain why I do things like hit beautiful long drives that always fly way off to the right.
Turns out I have a 'weak grip'. My initial reaction when I heard that was 'what!?! I have a strong grip! You should see when I shake hands'' but I quickly realized that weak had nothing to do with grip strength and everything to do with the angle with which I held the club. A weak grip = balls flying off to the right. A too strong grip, I quickly discovered, sends them careening off to the left. I finally found a sweet spot and the balls starting going where they should.
The trick now will be to remember that feeling and be able to repeat it. Over and over again.
On the way home afterwards, I mentioned to Doug that it must be hard for golf instructors not to burst out laughing sometimes when they see the way some people swing the golf club.
"Go to a driving range and watch people" he replied. "It's crazy how different everyone swings. It's pretty darn funny to watch too."
Sounds like golf is a lot like running. You can spot your favourite golfer a mile away once you figure out how they move.
PS. during my Trackman session, the following two things happened as soon as we switched my grip:
1. I swung the club, whacked the tee cleanly out from under it and the ball plopped down to where the tee had been and just sat there.
2. On the second try, I swung the club and the ball shot straight up in the air, hit the ceiling, dropped back down onto one of the narrow metal beams holding up the Trackman system and had to be pushed back down to earth with a golf club.
Neither feats had ever been seen in that room and, odds are, neither will again.
Swimming is apparently like that too. I have spent a lot of time swimming but I haven't spent a lot of time watching swimmers. Especially swimmers I know. I've never watched Doug compete in a triathlon from a position where I could see the swim portion. So I have no idea if I could spot his arms among all the other wetsuit-clad arms out there. He has assured me that I was pretty noticeable in races that he has watched so I guess it must be true.
Cycling, well, I haven't noticed too many different kinds of cycling techniques. At least not to the point where I can recognize someone from afar by their spinning legs. Usually I am watching for helmet, bike and shirt colour combinations. White helmet, grey bike and red shirt typically means I've spotted Doug. Long lanky legs usually help confirm this but are the last thing I notice, not the first.
I'm saying all this because yesterday after work I squeezed in a 15-minute golf lesson. During the lesson, I had to hit balls at a Trackman which is basically a large screen with all sorts of funky sensors. When my ball hits the screen, it analyses the angle, the speed, etc etc and it spits out all kinds of data that can help explain why I do things like hit beautiful long drives that always fly way off to the right.
Turns out I have a 'weak grip'. My initial reaction when I heard that was 'what!?! I have a strong grip! You should see when I shake hands'' but I quickly realized that weak had nothing to do with grip strength and everything to do with the angle with which I held the club. A weak grip = balls flying off to the right. A too strong grip, I quickly discovered, sends them careening off to the left. I finally found a sweet spot and the balls starting going where they should.
The trick now will be to remember that feeling and be able to repeat it. Over and over again.
On the way home afterwards, I mentioned to Doug that it must be hard for golf instructors not to burst out laughing sometimes when they see the way some people swing the golf club.
"Go to a driving range and watch people" he replied. "It's crazy how different everyone swings. It's pretty darn funny to watch too."
Sounds like golf is a lot like running. You can spot your favourite golfer a mile away once you figure out how they move.
PS. during my Trackman session, the following two things happened as soon as we switched my grip:
1. I swung the club, whacked the tee cleanly out from under it and the ball plopped down to where the tee had been and just sat there.
2. On the second try, I swung the club and the ball shot straight up in the air, hit the ceiling, dropped back down onto one of the narrow metal beams holding up the Trackman system and had to be pushed back down to earth with a golf club.
Neither feats had ever been seen in that room and, odds are, neither will again.
Monday, July 27, 2015
A Reunion, lots of Doug time and a golf lesson = a great weekend
The weekend is over and, as usual, it went by much too quickly.
But it sure was fun!
Doug and I enjoyed a Friday evening golf game together followed by a Saturday morning run and a Sunday morning bike ride.
I also managed to squeeze in a brunch with three of my dearest high school friends, one who I see regularly, one who I see every few years and one who I haven't seen in almost a decade. Other than one receding hairline, we pretty much look exactly the same and it was great fun to reconnect as a 'gang' again.
I also had my first golf lesson of the season. I know, it's the end of July, but we figured it was time for me to get a few of the kinks worked out. So one hour later and two key tips (don't bend your left arm and fix your alignment) later, I was ready for a Sunday afternoon game. It took a few holes to get things feeling right but, once I did, look out!
I managed to get my best ever golf score (110), drop my handicap and get two pars, all thanks to a few tips. Here's a video of me looking like I know what I'm doing. And yes I realize that I'm not actually hitting a ball. We were just working on my swing.
But it sure was fun!
Doug and I enjoyed a Friday evening golf game together followed by a Saturday morning run and a Sunday morning bike ride.
I also managed to squeeze in a brunch with three of my dearest high school friends, one who I see regularly, one who I see every few years and one who I haven't seen in almost a decade. Other than one receding hairline, we pretty much look exactly the same and it was great fun to reconnect as a 'gang' again.
I also had my first golf lesson of the season. I know, it's the end of July, but we figured it was time for me to get a few of the kinks worked out. So one hour later and two key tips (don't bend your left arm and fix your alignment) later, I was ready for a Sunday afternoon game. It took a few holes to get things feeling right but, once I did, look out!
I managed to get my best ever golf score (110), drop my handicap and get two pars, all thanks to a few tips. Here's a video of me looking like I know what I'm doing. And yes I realize that I'm not actually hitting a ball. We were just working on my swing.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Mid-Term Report
June is behind us, Canada has celebrated its 148th birthday and we are now closer to the end of 2015 than we are to the beginning.
The end of another month means it's time for another fitness report as well as a mid-term report on how my goal to virtually swim, walk, run and bike my way from our front door to Regina, Saskatchewan is going.
Race Report
It feels like months ago already but I managed to cross the finish line of the Niagara Falls Women's Half Marathon as well as the Welland Triathlon. Woot!
Running
Running went well this month. My mileage is down but that's because I'm no longer training for a half marathon. Now I'm training for triathlons so weekend runs are 12k or so rather than the high teens and low twenties. In June I ran 11 times, covering 86.7km in a little over 10 hours.
Cycling
In the past two weeks I've really increased my cycling in an effort to build some endurance on the bike. I've been getting up early and squeezing in 2 to 3 weekday bike rides in preparation for my Olympic triathlon in July. In June, I cycled 174km in 7 hours.
Swimming
Swimming was hit and miss in June. The pool was closed for three weeks so most of my swimming was in open water which was also hit and miss. I only swam four times and covered 5450m in 2 hours. Gotta get those numbers up in July!
Golf
Golf was also a little lacklustre in June. That I blame entirely on rainy days. I only managed to golf four times, walking a total of 30k in 12 hours.
Total number of workouts: 26
Distance covered: 296km
Wow! Adding some extra cycling to my routine has gotten me a lot closer to Regina. By the end of May I had covered 1086km. Add June to it and I am now 1,382km into my 2356km journey.
1,382km brings me smack dab in the middle of Northern Ontario. There is nothing on the map near that location so the best I can say is that I am exactly 100km from Thunder Bay.
Getting there!
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Deer Friends
Last week I managed to squeeze in one early-morning bike ride.
This week, I've already managed to squeeze in two. Monday and Wednesday morning I was up before my alarm rang at 5am, ready to ride. I was dressed, fed and on my bike by 5:30am and I enjoyed a brisk 28km ride through the quiet country roads.
The first time I did this, I spotted two deer in field, half hidden in the morning mist.
The second time I rode the route, I saw two deer in the same spot.
The first time, I pointed them out to Doug and said "deer!".
The second time, I looked them in the eye and nodded. The way one nods to another early riser who is also out on the streets before the sunrise.
Yesterday, I rode the route for a third time and, as expected there they were. Heads up, watching me as I rode past, turned the corner and disappeared behind the trees.
I am one of those creatures of habit who loves adventure. I'll happily try pretty much anything but it doesn't take me long to find the patterns in it and turn something new into a new habit.
My two deer friends, not to be mistaken with dear friends which are very different, are a wonderful addition to my morning and an already familiar part of my new morning bike ride routine
And, to make early mornings even more wonderful, I saw a doe and her two fawns the other morning on a run. All three ran out from the woods. I stopped when I saw them and they stopped when they saw me and we all stared at each other for a few moments. Then mom broke the spell and the three of them scampered across the road and disappeared into the seemingly impenetrable bush on the other side.
I wonder if deers are just as awe-struck when they spot humans in the wild as we are when we spot them?
This week, I've already managed to squeeze in two. Monday and Wednesday morning I was up before my alarm rang at 5am, ready to ride. I was dressed, fed and on my bike by 5:30am and I enjoyed a brisk 28km ride through the quiet country roads.
The first time I did this, I spotted two deer in field, half hidden in the morning mist.
The second time I rode the route, I saw two deer in the same spot.
The first time, I pointed them out to Doug and said "deer!".
The second time, I looked them in the eye and nodded. The way one nods to another early riser who is also out on the streets before the sunrise.
Yesterday, I rode the route for a third time and, as expected there they were. Heads up, watching me as I rode past, turned the corner and disappeared behind the trees.
I am one of those creatures of habit who loves adventure. I'll happily try pretty much anything but it doesn't take me long to find the patterns in it and turn something new into a new habit.
My two deer friends, not to be mistaken with dear friends which are very different, are a wonderful addition to my morning and an already familiar part of my new morning bike ride routine
And, to make early mornings even more wonderful, I saw a doe and her two fawns the other morning on a run. All three ran out from the woods. I stopped when I saw them and they stopped when they saw me and we all stared at each other for a few moments. Then mom broke the spell and the three of them scampered across the road and disappeared into the seemingly impenetrable bush on the other side.
I wonder if deers are just as awe-struck when they spot humans in the wild as we are when we spot them?
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Planning My Next Race
I have 5 weeks until my next triathlon.
I want to get comfortable swimming 1.5k and do several open water practice swims between now and race day.
I want to get a bunch of longer bike rides under my belt so that I'm ready for the 40k distance. I also want to get a bunch of hilly bike rides under my belt because that route is a lot hillier than the Welland one.
I want to keep my running fitness up since I've fought so hard to get it here. I want to do some hill training to prepare for the hills and I want to do some speed work to see if I can run a little faster than I ran last weekend.
I have 5 weeks until my next triathlon.
Not enough time to transform myself but enough time that I can probably make some gains in terms of running and cycling fitness.
Any tips for how to get the most out of the next 5 weeks my triathlon friends?
My thinking?
Run three times per week. Stick to 10-15k long runs, do one speed or hill workout per week and one regular run per week (7k or so).
Cycle twice a week. One long ride on weekends and a shorter one during the week. Perhaps ride up and down the escarpment a few times?
Swim twice a week, at least once in open water. Working on endurance so that 1.5k doesn't feel like a big deal.
Taper in the last week. Watch my salt intake. Sleep well. Eat well.
Any other suggestions?
I want to get comfortable swimming 1.5k and do several open water practice swims between now and race day.
I want to get a bunch of longer bike rides under my belt so that I'm ready for the 40k distance. I also want to get a bunch of hilly bike rides under my belt because that route is a lot hillier than the Welland one.
I want to keep my running fitness up since I've fought so hard to get it here. I want to do some hill training to prepare for the hills and I want to do some speed work to see if I can run a little faster than I ran last weekend.
I have 5 weeks until my next triathlon.
Not enough time to transform myself but enough time that I can probably make some gains in terms of running and cycling fitness.
Any tips for how to get the most out of the next 5 weeks my triathlon friends?
My thinking?
Run three times per week. Stick to 10-15k long runs, do one speed or hill workout per week and one regular run per week (7k or so).
Cycle twice a week. One long ride on weekends and a shorter one during the week. Perhaps ride up and down the escarpment a few times?
Swim twice a week, at least once in open water. Working on endurance so that 1.5k doesn't feel like a big deal.
Taper in the last week. Watch my salt intake. Sleep well. Eat well.
Any other suggestions?
Monday, June 15, 2015
Welland Triathlon Report
The first triathlon of 2015 is officially in the books.
The short version of the story goes something like this
Start swimming. Think "Omigod I forgot how much I loved open water swimming!!". Enjoy a strong swim where I am passed by two people but I pass at least 15 others. Turn at the last buoy and head for shore. Think "The swim is almost over. That's sad. Now I have to hop on the bike for 30k. Bloody hell". Cycle the first 15k thinking "wow, I'm faster than I thought I was. All the half marathon training and winter cycling on the trainer must have paid off". Turn around at 15k and think "nope, that was just a nice tailwind". Cycle 15k into a pretty strong headwind and think "my shoulders and my a$$ are killing me". Finish the bike ride, pull on my running shoes and think "it's only 7.5k. That's like 1/3 of a half marathon and you rocked a half marathon last weekend. You got this!". Run 7.5k without stopping at a strong and steady pace and think "this is the easiest triathlon run I've ever had. I feel great. I love triathlons!" Cross the finish line with a smile on my face and think "when's the next one!"
The longer version is, well, a little bit longer.
We got there super early because this crazy girl decided a 1pm the afternoon before the race that she needed to buy her very first wetsuit. Why?!? Because at 12:30pm she read the race report online and learned that the water temperature in the canal was 15C/59F. The wetsuit mandatory cutoff is 14C and there was no way I was getting there in the morning and finding out that I couldn't swim. So I sucked it up, drove to our local triathlon store, said "do you have any wetsuits in my size?", spent 15 minutes trying to get the damn thing on, felt ridiculous in it and yet walked out with it anyway, a few hundred dollars poorer.
So we got to the race 90 minutes early so I could a) pee a bunch of times before putting on the wetsuit, b) put on the wetsuit and c) swim in it for as long as it took to feel comfortable. Doug, the smart man that he is, set up his transition zone and headed back to the car for 45 minutes where it was warm.
I racked my bike as several other triathletes were arriving. They were all new to the sport and asked me a bunch of newbie questions that made me smile as I remembered wondering all of the same things not that long ago. One of the newbies noticed my pump and proudly showed me his Animas pump. Spotting another T1 in the wild means instant bonding and we kept cheering each other on every time we saw each other during the race.
The donning of the wetsuit went much better the second time. It helped that I knew what to expect, I came prepared with a plastic bag to wrap around my feet (to help them slide more easily) and I was in and zipped (by myself) in less than five minutes. I made my way down to the water where a bunch of folks were milling around trying to decide whether or not to go into the now 16C water. I greeted them all and walked right in. I forced myself to simply tread water for a few minutes while the cold water seeped into the wetsuit (what a strange feeling that is) and I made sure that I wasn't going to start panic-breathing. The water felt cold but manageable and I had no issues getting used to the tighter feel of a wetsuit. I swam a few hundred metres, made sure I wasn't going to freak out and then happily floated around chatting to all the others who were brave enough to get in.
I had a few diabetes issues to figure out at the last minute. First of all, tucking emergency carbs into the pockets of my triathlon suit was not going to work because there was no way to get to them once the wetsuit was on. I ended up stuffing two packages of fruit chews and a ziplock bag with two dates into the arms of my suit. It felt weird but worked fine.
I had also planned to be able to stalk my continuous glucose monitor (CGM) in the time leading up to the race but, once I put the suit on, I could no longer see Rose. And, even if I could, it would not have mattered anyway as she lost the CGM signal, not to be found again until I was finished the swim and took off the wetsuit. So I went on feel and had one date (with salt) 30 minutes before the start and one (again with salt) a minute or two before going in.
When the race started, I swam hard. I felt like I was swimming really fast and I had been told that I would feel that way but I wasn't sure if I just felt fast or if I really was fast. I passed a bunch of swimmers but that's typical for me. Swimming is definitely my forte in a triathlon.
Getting out of the wetsuit was tricky and awkward but I'm sure, with experience, it will be easier. It added a minute to my transition time but I wasn't too worried about that.
The bike ride was easy and fun for the first half and tough on the way back when I hit the headwind. I obviously have not had enough training on the bike and my body could feel it during the last 10k. I'll have to make a point of riding more and riding farther in the next month so that the 40k olympic distance ride doesn't feel quite so never-ending. I did have two dates (with salt) on the bike ride and drank a lot of NUUN in an effort to keep my electrolytes up and prevent a blood pressure crash on the run.
The run felt great. I approached it the same way I approached the half marathon last weekend. Run at a strong and steady pace, watch my heart rate and don't stop running. It worked well and, as I picked off the kilometres one by one, I enjoyed the moment rather than waiting for it to end.
I crossed the finish line with a blood sugar of 12. Not bad considering that I hadn't checked it before or during the race and had just done it all by feel. I had set a race day basal profile that was supposed to allow me to eat before the swim and during the ride which is exactly what I did. A glance at my CGM when I got home showed me that I had climbed pretty high (16+) during the bike ride but had dropped back down again by the end. So lows were not a problem but I hate being that high during a race. I'll have to tweak those basal numbers before the next race.
Here are the results for this year's race:
Swim 14:38.9 1:57min/100m (Overall 89/240 Gender 27/90 Category 4/18)
Bike 1:13:05 24:62km/hour (Overall 210/240 Gender 74/90 Category 13/18)
Run 51:43.7 6:53min/km (Overall 221/241 Gender 79/90 Category 15/18)
T1 3:23
T2 2:31
Total 2:27:50 (Overall 220/240 Gender 79/90 Category 15/18)
Compare it to the one I did two years ago:
Swim 14:30.00 1:55/100m (Overall 120/296 Gender 43/128 Category 7/20)
Bike 1:03:17 28.44km/hr (overall 224/296 Gender 81/128 Category 14/20)
Run 55:33:00 7:24min/km (Overall 262/296 Gender 105/128 Category 17/20)
T1 2:30
T2 2:39
Total 2:20:45 (Overall 243/296 Gender 99/120 Category 16/20)
The swim times are almost identical. Two years ago I was at my swimming peak, doing master's three times a week and super hardcore. This time I was nowhere near that level of swimming fitness but I did have a wetsuit. So perhaps it did make me faster.
The bike was a lot slower this year - no surprise there considering my lack of practice.
My run was 4 minutes faster which is great. It felt much better too. I remember really struggling in 2013 during that run.
No personal best and I obviously have some work to do if I want to place high on the bike and in the run but it sure was fun.
After a few days of trepidation last week I'm happy to announce that triathlon girl is back!!
Here are a few photos taken from Multisports' Facebook page, the fine folks who organize these great races.
The short version of the story goes something like this
Start swimming. Think "Omigod I forgot how much I loved open water swimming!!". Enjoy a strong swim where I am passed by two people but I pass at least 15 others. Turn at the last buoy and head for shore. Think "The swim is almost over. That's sad. Now I have to hop on the bike for 30k. Bloody hell". Cycle the first 15k thinking "wow, I'm faster than I thought I was. All the half marathon training and winter cycling on the trainer must have paid off". Turn around at 15k and think "nope, that was just a nice tailwind". Cycle 15k into a pretty strong headwind and think "my shoulders and my a$$ are killing me". Finish the bike ride, pull on my running shoes and think "it's only 7.5k. That's like 1/3 of a half marathon and you rocked a half marathon last weekend. You got this!". Run 7.5k without stopping at a strong and steady pace and think "this is the easiest triathlon run I've ever had. I feel great. I love triathlons!" Cross the finish line with a smile on my face and think "when's the next one!"
The longer version is, well, a little bit longer.
We got there super early because this crazy girl decided a 1pm the afternoon before the race that she needed to buy her very first wetsuit. Why?!? Because at 12:30pm she read the race report online and learned that the water temperature in the canal was 15C/59F. The wetsuit mandatory cutoff is 14C and there was no way I was getting there in the morning and finding out that I couldn't swim. So I sucked it up, drove to our local triathlon store, said "do you have any wetsuits in my size?", spent 15 minutes trying to get the damn thing on, felt ridiculous in it and yet walked out with it anyway, a few hundred dollars poorer.
So we got to the race 90 minutes early so I could a) pee a bunch of times before putting on the wetsuit, b) put on the wetsuit and c) swim in it for as long as it took to feel comfortable. Doug, the smart man that he is, set up his transition zone and headed back to the car for 45 minutes where it was warm.
I racked my bike as several other triathletes were arriving. They were all new to the sport and asked me a bunch of newbie questions that made me smile as I remembered wondering all of the same things not that long ago. One of the newbies noticed my pump and proudly showed me his Animas pump. Spotting another T1 in the wild means instant bonding and we kept cheering each other on every time we saw each other during the race.
The donning of the wetsuit went much better the second time. It helped that I knew what to expect, I came prepared with a plastic bag to wrap around my feet (to help them slide more easily) and I was in and zipped (by myself) in less than five minutes. I made my way down to the water where a bunch of folks were milling around trying to decide whether or not to go into the now 16C water. I greeted them all and walked right in. I forced myself to simply tread water for a few minutes while the cold water seeped into the wetsuit (what a strange feeling that is) and I made sure that I wasn't going to start panic-breathing. The water felt cold but manageable and I had no issues getting used to the tighter feel of a wetsuit. I swam a few hundred metres, made sure I wasn't going to freak out and then happily floated around chatting to all the others who were brave enough to get in.
I had a few diabetes issues to figure out at the last minute. First of all, tucking emergency carbs into the pockets of my triathlon suit was not going to work because there was no way to get to them once the wetsuit was on. I ended up stuffing two packages of fruit chews and a ziplock bag with two dates into the arms of my suit. It felt weird but worked fine.
I had also planned to be able to stalk my continuous glucose monitor (CGM) in the time leading up to the race but, once I put the suit on, I could no longer see Rose. And, even if I could, it would not have mattered anyway as she lost the CGM signal, not to be found again until I was finished the swim and took off the wetsuit. So I went on feel and had one date (with salt) 30 minutes before the start and one (again with salt) a minute or two before going in.
When the race started, I swam hard. I felt like I was swimming really fast and I had been told that I would feel that way but I wasn't sure if I just felt fast or if I really was fast. I passed a bunch of swimmers but that's typical for me. Swimming is definitely my forte in a triathlon.
Getting out of the wetsuit was tricky and awkward but I'm sure, with experience, it will be easier. It added a minute to my transition time but I wasn't too worried about that.
The bike ride was easy and fun for the first half and tough on the way back when I hit the headwind. I obviously have not had enough training on the bike and my body could feel it during the last 10k. I'll have to make a point of riding more and riding farther in the next month so that the 40k olympic distance ride doesn't feel quite so never-ending. I did have two dates (with salt) on the bike ride and drank a lot of NUUN in an effort to keep my electrolytes up and prevent a blood pressure crash on the run.
The run felt great. I approached it the same way I approached the half marathon last weekend. Run at a strong and steady pace, watch my heart rate and don't stop running. It worked well and, as I picked off the kilometres one by one, I enjoyed the moment rather than waiting for it to end.
I crossed the finish line with a blood sugar of 12. Not bad considering that I hadn't checked it before or during the race and had just done it all by feel. I had set a race day basal profile that was supposed to allow me to eat before the swim and during the ride which is exactly what I did. A glance at my CGM when I got home showed me that I had climbed pretty high (16+) during the bike ride but had dropped back down again by the end. So lows were not a problem but I hate being that high during a race. I'll have to tweak those basal numbers before the next race.
Here are the results for this year's race:
Swim 14:38.9 1:57min/100m (Overall 89/240 Gender 27/90 Category 4/18)
Bike 1:13:05 24:62km/hour (Overall 210/240 Gender 74/90 Category 13/18)
Run 51:43.7 6:53min/km (Overall 221/241 Gender 79/90 Category 15/18)
T1 3:23
T2 2:31
Total 2:27:50 (Overall 220/240 Gender 79/90 Category 15/18)
Compare it to the one I did two years ago:
Swim 14:30.00 1:55/100m (Overall 120/296 Gender 43/128 Category 7/20)
Bike 1:03:17 28.44km/hr (overall 224/296 Gender 81/128 Category 14/20)
Run 55:33:00 7:24min/km (Overall 262/296 Gender 105/128 Category 17/20)
T1 2:30
T2 2:39
Total 2:20:45 (Overall 243/296 Gender 99/120 Category 16/20)
The swim times are almost identical. Two years ago I was at my swimming peak, doing master's three times a week and super hardcore. This time I was nowhere near that level of swimming fitness but I did have a wetsuit. So perhaps it did make me faster.
The bike was a lot slower this year - no surprise there considering my lack of practice.
My run was 4 minutes faster which is great. It felt much better too. I remember really struggling in 2013 during that run.
No personal best and I obviously have some work to do if I want to place high on the bike and in the run but it sure was fun.
After a few days of trepidation last week I'm happy to announce that triathlon girl is back!!
Here are a few photos taken from Multisports' Facebook page, the fine folks who organize these great races.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Niagara Falls Women's Half Marathon - Third Time's a Charm!
Yesterday was the fourth annual Niagara Falls Women's Half Marathon. It was my third go at this race since I missed the second year due to injury. It's a great race that gets better every year and it's organized by a friend of ours so I am more than happy to support it.
Having run it twice before, there is a comfort in knowing what to expect and when to expect it. I know where the hills are, where the orange slices and jelly beans will be handed out and where those "will they ever get here' turnaround points are.
This year, I went in with more apprehension than I usually do. My training had been so fraught with tough long runs, blood pressure plummets and ear plugging fiascos that I was not sure what to expect. All I knew is that if the blood pressure stuff started too early, there was a chance that I'd have to walk a good portion of the race or, heaven forbid, not finish. Doug was out there to make sure that my blood sugar was taken care of but there wasn't much he could do for the blood pressure issues other than be there and, if necessary, drive me home.
My plan?
Forget any goal times and run to finish. Keep my heart rate under 165 at all costs, take salt tablets and electrolytes at every water station, and don't stop running if at all possible.
Oh, and wear my type 1 diabadass shirt for a little extra boost of confidence.
And that, my friends, is exactly what I did.
I ran easy. I kept a steady pace between 6:50-7:10 min/km, even when I felt like I could pick it up. If my watch alarm beeped to let me know my heart rate had climbed above 165, I slowed down until it came back down.
I stopped at every water station, had a salt tablet and either two edisks with water or some Powerade.
Guess what happened?
My ears did not plug.
My heart rate did not spike.
My blood pressure did not plummet.
My blood sugar held steady between 4.5-6.5 the entire time.
My energy held and I never once took a walk break (other than when gulping a cup of water or powerade of course). But my typical 18k crash never happened.
I ran the same pace at 19k that I ran at 2k and I felt fine from start to finish.
I finished in 2:33:52. Not my fastest time ever but certainly in the 2:30:00 give or take ten minutes range that I typically finish in.
I stood at the start line not quite sure if I would finish.
And I finished what turned out to be the easiest half marathon I have ever run.
Those pre-race jitters never do get any less jittery do they?
This might be my favourite running photo ever. Living life well with diabetes indeed!
All done!
Monday, June 1, 2015
May Report Card
I started off my April report talking about April showers bringing May flowers. Well it certainly did and the month of May in southern Ontario was sunny and glorious and heavy with the scent of lilacs and magnolias.
In fact, the only rainy day I can remember in May happens to be yesterday, the last day of the month. The temperature dropped from 30 degrees and humid on Saturday to non-stop rain and 8 windy degrees on Sunday. Bit of a shocker and a surefire way to ruin our cycling and golf plans.
You won't hear any complaints from me though. It was a wonderful month and one day out of 31 of miserable weather simply means a lazy Sunday and lots of time for colouring and watching golf.
So May. Thanks for the golf games, the bike rides (outdoors finally!), the return to the pool and the long runs.
Golf
I was able to play 12 games of golf in May. Most were 9 holes. A few were 18. In fact Doug and I played in a golf tournament as well as a mixed match play. We had fun and make a pretty good team. I walked, carrying my clubs, a total of 79.5km and it took about 34.5 hours to do it.
Running
Twelve seems to be a favourite number because, not only did I golf 12 times but I also ran 12 times. I covered a total of 119km in 14 hours - all thanks to half marathon/triathlon training.
Cycling
Doug and I have resumed outdoor bike rides again. Sunday mornings are our time to ride and we got four of them in last month. Would have been five had it not poured rain all day yesterday. Anyway, we covered 74.5k in 3 1/2 hours.
Swimming
I'm back in the pool again!! I went back two weeks ago and my tendonitis survived just fine. I am now swimming twice a week, 2k per visit. The goal is not to regain my strength and speed I had when I was in full Masters training, I just want to be able to confidently hold my own during triathlon swims. And after two weeks back in the pool, I already feel so much stronger. Four swims in = 8000m in 3.25 hours.
So the grand total for May?
20 workouts plus 12 golf games (are they an official workout?)
281km covered in 82.25 hours.
And my goal to run, walk, cycle and swim my way from my front door to Regina, Saskatchewan.
By the end of last month I had covered 805km of my 2356km 'journey. Add another 281km and I'm now 1086km away from home. I'd love to say that I have now made it to some sexy destination but no such luck. It's been two months since I made it past Sault Ste Marie and I'm still another two months away from Thunder Bay. So I'm somewhere in beautiful northern Ontario but there are no Starbucks in sight. The closest thing on a map is White Lake Provincial Park, less than 100km away where I am.
June will be a busy month. A half marathon and my first tri of the season. A whole bunch of golf games as well as an increase in swimming and cycling to prepare for my Olympic distance tri in July.
See you next month!
In fact, the only rainy day I can remember in May happens to be yesterday, the last day of the month. The temperature dropped from 30 degrees and humid on Saturday to non-stop rain and 8 windy degrees on Sunday. Bit of a shocker and a surefire way to ruin our cycling and golf plans.
You won't hear any complaints from me though. It was a wonderful month and one day out of 31 of miserable weather simply means a lazy Sunday and lots of time for colouring and watching golf.
So May. Thanks for the golf games, the bike rides (outdoors finally!), the return to the pool and the long runs.
Golf
I was able to play 12 games of golf in May. Most were 9 holes. A few were 18. In fact Doug and I played in a golf tournament as well as a mixed match play. We had fun and make a pretty good team. I walked, carrying my clubs, a total of 79.5km and it took about 34.5 hours to do it.
Running
Twelve seems to be a favourite number because, not only did I golf 12 times but I also ran 12 times. I covered a total of 119km in 14 hours - all thanks to half marathon/triathlon training.
Cycling
Doug and I have resumed outdoor bike rides again. Sunday mornings are our time to ride and we got four of them in last month. Would have been five had it not poured rain all day yesterday. Anyway, we covered 74.5k in 3 1/2 hours.
Swimming
I'm back in the pool again!! I went back two weeks ago and my tendonitis survived just fine. I am now swimming twice a week, 2k per visit. The goal is not to regain my strength and speed I had when I was in full Masters training, I just want to be able to confidently hold my own during triathlon swims. And after two weeks back in the pool, I already feel so much stronger. Four swims in = 8000m in 3.25 hours.
So the grand total for May?
20 workouts plus 12 golf games (are they an official workout?)
281km covered in 82.25 hours.
And my goal to run, walk, cycle and swim my way from my front door to Regina, Saskatchewan.
By the end of last month I had covered 805km of my 2356km 'journey. Add another 281km and I'm now 1086km away from home. I'd love to say that I have now made it to some sexy destination but no such luck. It's been two months since I made it past Sault Ste Marie and I'm still another two months away from Thunder Bay. So I'm somewhere in beautiful northern Ontario but there are no Starbucks in sight. The closest thing on a map is White Lake Provincial Park, less than 100km away where I am.
June will be a busy month. A half marathon and my first tri of the season. A whole bunch of golf games as well as an increase in swimming and cycling to prepare for my Olympic distance tri in July.
See you next month!
Monday, May 25, 2015
Back in the Saddle Again
Last week I took an unplanned blogging holiday.
I was still working my regular job. I was still doing my regular stuff. But, for some reason, I wasn't into blogging. So I didn't blog.
Perhaps it's because the week before had been D-Blog week and, as much as I love it, I'm usually pretty tired of writing by the end of it.
Perhaps it's because Doug and I are busily repainting all of the rooms in our house so evenings and weekends revolve around when we can squeeze in another wall, another handful of doors or some baseboards.
Whatever the reason, it was nice to have a break and just as nice to be back.
Since we last spent time together, I've managed to play in a Mixed Doubles golf tournament (my first golf tournament ever) as well as a Mixed Match Play game. Doug and I did not win the golf tournament (no shocker there) but we did end up with a respectable final score. We also managed to win our first Mixed Match Play game so we are off to play a second round...yet to be booked.
I took a deep breath and signed up to play Thursday golf with some of the more experienced ladies at my golf club. I played my first game with them, followed by wine and dinner, and loved it. I'm all signed up for this coming week and look forward to some very supportive yet challenging golf.
I also ran my last two long runs before my half marathon. A 20k run that turned into a 13.5k disaster thanks to a blood pressure/ear plugging nightmare and a 16k that was the perfect redemption run. I sailed through that one without a hitch.
I got back in the pool again and managed two 2k swims last week. My tendonitis flared a little bit afterwards but not enough to hinder my Sunday golf so I'm hopeful that my poor elbow has turned a corner and is on the path to a full recovery.
I was knocked down for a day with the stomach flu but the diabetes gods didn't seem to notice or perhaps they felt too bad for me to cause any mischief. Twenty-four hours after the first stomach twinge I was back to feeling great with hardly a high or low blood sugar to show for the ordeal. It felt almost too easy.
Other than that, I signed up on a whim for a local Spanish conversation group and will be attending my first meeting next week. I had been looking for a local French group to practice with but couldn't find one. Spanish works just as well since I'm just as rusty in that language as I am in my French.
Well that's my big news.
See y'all tomorrow
I was still working my regular job. I was still doing my regular stuff. But, for some reason, I wasn't into blogging. So I didn't blog.
Perhaps it's because the week before had been D-Blog week and, as much as I love it, I'm usually pretty tired of writing by the end of it.
Perhaps it's because Doug and I are busily repainting all of the rooms in our house so evenings and weekends revolve around when we can squeeze in another wall, another handful of doors or some baseboards.
Whatever the reason, it was nice to have a break and just as nice to be back.
Since we last spent time together, I've managed to play in a Mixed Doubles golf tournament (my first golf tournament ever) as well as a Mixed Match Play game. Doug and I did not win the golf tournament (no shocker there) but we did end up with a respectable final score. We also managed to win our first Mixed Match Play game so we are off to play a second round...yet to be booked.
I took a deep breath and signed up to play Thursday golf with some of the more experienced ladies at my golf club. I played my first game with them, followed by wine and dinner, and loved it. I'm all signed up for this coming week and look forward to some very supportive yet challenging golf.
I also ran my last two long runs before my half marathon. A 20k run that turned into a 13.5k disaster thanks to a blood pressure/ear plugging nightmare and a 16k that was the perfect redemption run. I sailed through that one without a hitch.
I got back in the pool again and managed two 2k swims last week. My tendonitis flared a little bit afterwards but not enough to hinder my Sunday golf so I'm hopeful that my poor elbow has turned a corner and is on the path to a full recovery.
I was knocked down for a day with the stomach flu but the diabetes gods didn't seem to notice or perhaps they felt too bad for me to cause any mischief. Twenty-four hours after the first stomach twinge I was back to feeling great with hardly a high or low blood sugar to show for the ordeal. It felt almost too easy.
Other than that, I signed up on a whim for a local Spanish conversation group and will be attending my first meeting next week. I had been looking for a local French group to practice with but couldn't find one. Spanish works just as well since I'm just as rusty in that language as I am in my French.
Well that's my big news.
See y'all tomorrow
Friday, May 1, 2015
En Route To Thunder Bay
It's May!
All those April showers, both the rain and the snow variety, are now supposed to translate into Mayflowers.
Total number of workouts = 25
Total time spent working out = 29 hours
Total distance covered = 258km
By the end of March I had covered 547km and had made it to Sudbury Ontario and a bit beyond.
Add 258km to that and I am now 805km into my 2396km 'journey'.
Which brings me...to the middle of Northern Ontario.
Sault Ste Marie is 781km away so I've made it there and beyond. Thunder Bay is the next stop but it's over 1400km from my front door so that will be another few months I'm guessing.
So let's just say that I'm en route to Thunder Bay.
All those April showers, both the rain and the snow variety, are now supposed to translate into Mayflowers.
Or is that May flowers?
It's all very unclear.
Before we say goodbye to April, it's time to see how the month went in terms of physical activity and how much closer I am to my January goal of running, walking, swimming and cycling my way to Regina, Saskatchewan.
Running
I ran exactly 100km in April. Not on purpose, it just worked out that way. I ran 10 times, some runs as short as 4k and some as long as 20. In total I ran for 11.5 hours.
Swimming and Rowing
I swam only once in April for a total of 2000m (2k). It took me 40 minutes. It hurt so I stopped going. Until my elbow is better, I'm out of the pool again. No rowing machine at all because that was hurting even more than swimming was.
Cycling
The fact that I have not been swimming (sigh) for a few weeks to let my elbow heal means that I've had plenty of opportunity for cycling workouts. In fact I managed to fit 9 of them into the month of April. One of them was even outside on real roads!
I covered a total of 137km in 7 hours and 45 minutes. Doesn't seem like a lot considering I cycled 9 times but several of those workouts were Bending Crank Arms where I spent more time doing off the bike squats than I did increasing my mileage.
Golf
I don't count every step I take every day but I do track how far I walk when I'm golfing. Golf season in back in full swing so I've managed 5 games (all 9 holes so far) and walked 19k in just over 9 hours.
Total number of workouts = 25
Total time spent working out = 29 hours
Total distance covered = 258km
By the end of March I had covered 547km and had made it to Sudbury Ontario and a bit beyond.
Add 258km to that and I am now 805km into my 2396km 'journey'.
Which brings me...to the middle of Northern Ontario.
Sault Ste Marie is 781km away so I've made it there and beyond. Thunder Bay is the next stop but it's over 1400km from my front door so that will be another few months I'm guessing.
So let's just say that I'm en route to Thunder Bay.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Earn Your Easy Week
"Earn your easy week."
Is it weird that about 9k into my 20k long run the voice of Coach Troy, star of my favourite Bending Crank Arms video, popped into my head?
In that video, the toughest cycling video we have, Coach Troy tells us that it is a very challenging workout and suggests that we take the next day as an easy day. He then laughs and says that the day after that and possibly the day after that will also be easy days.
And during the video, when we are holding squats for 60 seconds on trembling legs or when we are pushing through a five-minute, hardest gear on the bike, slog, he will say "earn your easy day".
I've done that video enough to know that I would never do it the day before a long run and I would not be able to do it the day or two after a long run. Bending Crank Arms is a Wednesday workout or it doesn't happen. It's just too tough to tack on to another tough workout.
So on Saturday, as I was nearing the half way point in my long run, his voice popped into my head.
"Earn your easy week."
This 20k run is always a tough one in my half-marathon training cycle. It's the third Saturday in a row of long runs that are getting progressively longer (16, 18 and then 20k). My legs are tired and achy. My body wants a rest.
It's an important run though. Running 20k on tired legs is part of the training. After that run, I get an easy week of 5k runs and a 10k run next weekend. Then the last part of the training cycle begins.
22k
16k
10k
race day
No run in the training is as tough as that 20k. Even the 22k, which is longer, is easier because I do it after coming off of an easy week. No tired legs to contend with.
So when I started to channel on Saturday Coach Troy, it felt right. Don't just finish the run. Finish the run well. Earn your easy week.
And earn it I did.
I ran 20k. I stopped only once, at 12k, to refill water bottles, check my blood sugar, and assure Doug that I was fine.
Every step I took was a step I ran.
I sipped water or Nuun every kilometre as is my new routine. I kept my heart rate in check. My ears did not plug up. My energy did not flag and my blood pressure before and after the run were almost identical.
I finished my run well and I earned my easy week.
Thanks Coach Troy!
Is it weird that about 9k into my 20k long run the voice of Coach Troy, star of my favourite Bending Crank Arms video, popped into my head?
In that video, the toughest cycling video we have, Coach Troy tells us that it is a very challenging workout and suggests that we take the next day as an easy day. He then laughs and says that the day after that and possibly the day after that will also be easy days.
And during the video, when we are holding squats for 60 seconds on trembling legs or when we are pushing through a five-minute, hardest gear on the bike, slog, he will say "earn your easy day".
I've done that video enough to know that I would never do it the day before a long run and I would not be able to do it the day or two after a long run. Bending Crank Arms is a Wednesday workout or it doesn't happen. It's just too tough to tack on to another tough workout.
So on Saturday, as I was nearing the half way point in my long run, his voice popped into my head.
"Earn your easy week."
This 20k run is always a tough one in my half-marathon training cycle. It's the third Saturday in a row of long runs that are getting progressively longer (16, 18 and then 20k). My legs are tired and achy. My body wants a rest.
It's an important run though. Running 20k on tired legs is part of the training. After that run, I get an easy week of 5k runs and a 10k run next weekend. Then the last part of the training cycle begins.
22k
16k
10k
race day
No run in the training is as tough as that 20k. Even the 22k, which is longer, is easier because I do it after coming off of an easy week. No tired legs to contend with.
So when I started to channel on Saturday Coach Troy, it felt right. Don't just finish the run. Finish the run well. Earn your easy week.
And earn it I did.
I ran 20k. I stopped only once, at 12k, to refill water bottles, check my blood sugar, and assure Doug that I was fine.
Every step I took was a step I ran.
I sipped water or Nuun every kilometre as is my new routine. I kept my heart rate in check. My ears did not plug up. My energy did not flag and my blood pressure before and after the run were almost identical.
I finished my run well and I earned my easy week.
Thanks Coach Troy!
Friday, April 24, 2015
Triathlon Training or the Lack Thereof
Why is it that I am extremely regimented when it comes to half marathon training...
...and yet extremely lackadaisical when it comes to triathlon training?
I have had my long run distances written out for two months now. They are posted on a sticky note in my office. Every Saturday I dutifully run the distance I am supposed to run. Every Monday when I get to work I cross another run off my sticky note.
I have a triathlon the weekend after this half marathon I am training for and I won't be doing anything specific for it other than swimming at the pool and cycling either on the trainer or outside if it ever warms up enough to do so. I don't build up. I don't taper. When I swim I swim for 45-60 minutes and when I cycle I cycle for about an hour. C'est tout.
Maybe it's because a triathlon is three different activities, and none of them too long. I never worry much about finishing because I know that I can fairly easily complete each of those distances on their own. And if I slow down a bit, I have enough energy to complete them in a row.
I could never just go out and wing a half marathon. Run a few 10k runs and then somehow pull off twice that on race day. I've been running this distance for years and have never once thought it was remotely easy to do. Even the training knocks me out.
And yet every triathlon I have done has been done without following any kind of triathlon training plan. I just swim, cycle and run and then, on race day, do them one after the other wearing a special outfit.
Is that weird? Do other people religiously follow triathlon training plans the way I follow half-marathon ones?
I have an Olympic distance triathlon coming up in July. The first and only other time I have done that distance I did not follow a training plan. I just took it one activity at a time and tried not to burn out before the finish. I didn't burn out and it went fairly well.
Should I try following an actual training plan this time? If so, why? I'm open to it of course but if my triathlon goals are to a) finish and finish strong and b) have fun doing it, then do I need to do any more than what I'm doing?
I do all three sports because I like them and they help keep me healthy. I string them all together on race days and call myself a triathlete because it's fun and I really enjoy it.
Why make it any more complicated than that?
...and yet extremely lackadaisical when it comes to triathlon training?
I have had my long run distances written out for two months now. They are posted on a sticky note in my office. Every Saturday I dutifully run the distance I am supposed to run. Every Monday when I get to work I cross another run off my sticky note.
I have a triathlon the weekend after this half marathon I am training for and I won't be doing anything specific for it other than swimming at the pool and cycling either on the trainer or outside if it ever warms up enough to do so. I don't build up. I don't taper. When I swim I swim for 45-60 minutes and when I cycle I cycle for about an hour. C'est tout.
Maybe it's because a triathlon is three different activities, and none of them too long. I never worry much about finishing because I know that I can fairly easily complete each of those distances on their own. And if I slow down a bit, I have enough energy to complete them in a row.
I could never just go out and wing a half marathon. Run a few 10k runs and then somehow pull off twice that on race day. I've been running this distance for years and have never once thought it was remotely easy to do. Even the training knocks me out.
And yet every triathlon I have done has been done without following any kind of triathlon training plan. I just swim, cycle and run and then, on race day, do them one after the other wearing a special outfit.
Is that weird? Do other people religiously follow triathlon training plans the way I follow half-marathon ones?
I have an Olympic distance triathlon coming up in July. The first and only other time I have done that distance I did not follow a training plan. I just took it one activity at a time and tried not to burn out before the finish. I didn't burn out and it went fairly well.
Should I try following an actual training plan this time? If so, why? I'm open to it of course but if my triathlon goals are to a) finish and finish strong and b) have fun doing it, then do I need to do any more than what I'm doing?
I do all three sports because I like them and they help keep me healthy. I string them all together on race days and call myself a triathlete because it's fun and I really enjoy it.
Why make it any more complicated than that?
Thursday, April 23, 2015
A Little Trust Goes a Long Way
I was thinking a bit about trust yesterday.
I was thinking about it as I sat at the hair salon having my hair coloured and cut.
I was thinking about it because to both of the wonderful ladies who take care of me, I said the same thing: "I trust you. Do whatever you think would look nice"
I came out with a new chopped hairdo with lovely highlights for spring.
I could have come out hating what they had done but I knew without a doubt that they would have fun but leave me feeling good about what they had done rather than horrified.
Some people I trust completely.
If they give me a running schedule to follow, I follow it without question.
If they recommend a product, I go out and buy the big bottle without even trying it first.
If they tell me to read a book, I buy the hardcover rather than take it out from the library, because I know I'm going to love it.
They know me well enough to know what will and won't work and I know them well enough to know that they know that.
Other people might give me a workout routine and I'll say a sincere thank you and then go home and change it to suit my personal taste.
The thing is that I'm pretty sure if I had my hair cut by someone that I didn't trust and they gave me the exact same haircut that I got yesterday, I probably wouldn't like it as much. But because it was cut by someone who listens, knows me and respects my boundaries, I love it.
So it's not so much about the haircut as the person cutting it.
Strange how that works eh?
All that to say that I got my hair cut yesterday, that I make up my own half marathon training plans but always ask Doug for feedback on them, and that I'll read any book my mom tells me to read.
I was thinking about it as I sat at the hair salon having my hair coloured and cut.
I was thinking about it because to both of the wonderful ladies who take care of me, I said the same thing: "I trust you. Do whatever you think would look nice"
I came out with a new chopped hairdo with lovely highlights for spring.
I could have come out hating what they had done but I knew without a doubt that they would have fun but leave me feeling good about what they had done rather than horrified.
Some people I trust completely.
If they give me a running schedule to follow, I follow it without question.
If they recommend a product, I go out and buy the big bottle without even trying it first.
If they tell me to read a book, I buy the hardcover rather than take it out from the library, because I know I'm going to love it.
They know me well enough to know what will and won't work and I know them well enough to know that they know that.
Other people might give me a workout routine and I'll say a sincere thank you and then go home and change it to suit my personal taste.
The thing is that I'm pretty sure if I had my hair cut by someone that I didn't trust and they gave me the exact same haircut that I got yesterday, I probably wouldn't like it as much. But because it was cut by someone who listens, knows me and respects my boundaries, I love it.
So it's not so much about the haircut as the person cutting it.
Strange how that works eh?
All that to say that I got my hair cut yesterday, that I make up my own half marathon training plans but always ask Doug for feedback on them, and that I'll read any book my mom tells me to read.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
(De)hydration experiments
Last Saturday I did my 18k training run for the Niagara Falls Women's Half Marathon I'm doing in June.
After the 16k run the week before, when my ears plugged and my blood pressure tanked, I decided to be a little more focused on hydration.
Usually I don't bring any water with me when I'm running 12 or 14k. Once I hit 16k, I still don't usually bring water but Doug often comes out to meet me two thirds of the way through my run and I drink then. In fact, no matter how far I'm running, I only tend to bring water with me when it's a) really hot out or b) Doug isn't meeting me en route with water and snacks.
This time I wore a water belt with a full bottle of water and a full bottle of Nuun (electrolyte mix without any sugar in it).
My watch beeps every kilometre and the plan was to take a sip of water or a sip of Nuun every time it beeped.
I stuck to the plan and, by the time Doug met me at 13k, I was completely out of Nuun and just about out of water. I refilled my water, had two edisks (electrolytes with a bit of sugar) and continued home still drinking every kilometre.
Guess what happened?
I ran 18k without my ears plugging.
My pre-run blood pressure was 112/78 and it was 104/56 when I got home.
Still a drop but much better than the 112/80 to 78/52 drop of the week before.
Also, my heart rate was much easier to keep in check. Instead of struggling to keep it under 170 like I did last week, I was able to keep it under 160 for most of it, only reaching 170 in the last 2 kilometres.
This Saturday I'm slated for 20k so I'll do the experiment again and see how it goes.
After the 16k run the week before, when my ears plugged and my blood pressure tanked, I decided to be a little more focused on hydration.
Usually I don't bring any water with me when I'm running 12 or 14k. Once I hit 16k, I still don't usually bring water but Doug often comes out to meet me two thirds of the way through my run and I drink then. In fact, no matter how far I'm running, I only tend to bring water with me when it's a) really hot out or b) Doug isn't meeting me en route with water and snacks.
This time I wore a water belt with a full bottle of water and a full bottle of Nuun (electrolyte mix without any sugar in it).
My watch beeps every kilometre and the plan was to take a sip of water or a sip of Nuun every time it beeped.
I stuck to the plan and, by the time Doug met me at 13k, I was completely out of Nuun and just about out of water. I refilled my water, had two edisks (electrolytes with a bit of sugar) and continued home still drinking every kilometre.
Guess what happened?
I ran 18k without my ears plugging.
My pre-run blood pressure was 112/78 and it was 104/56 when I got home.
Still a drop but much better than the 112/80 to 78/52 drop of the week before.
Also, my heart rate was much easier to keep in check. Instead of struggling to keep it under 170 like I did last week, I was able to keep it under 160 for most of it, only reaching 170 in the last 2 kilometres.
This Saturday I'm slated for 20k so I'll do the experiment again and see how it goes.
Monday, April 20, 2015
The Cost of Fitness
I just placed an order for contact lenses since I'm down to four left. Technically I'm down to eight since it's one per eye but really, I have four contact lens days left.
This time last year I bought a box of 90 dailies and they lasted me pretty much 12 months.
I only wear contacts on days when I want to wear sunglasses so I really only use them for long runs in the sun, summer bike rides, long drives on sunny days or on golf days.
Other than that, I'm a glasses girl.
So 90 daily lenses lasted 365 days, give or take a handful.
Some fitness things last for what feels like forever. Others, not so much.
I bought my bicycle six years ago and the cycling shoes and cycling shorts I purchased that same day are still the shoes and shorts I wear. They're doing just fine so why replace them?
My cycling jerseys are also several years old. They don't have to put up with much friction however since it's my legs doing the work so they still look quite good.
My Garmin watch is so old I can't remember when I got it. At least three years ago. Probably closer to 4 but if you told me it was 5, I'd believe you. It's starting to show its age but, other than those days when it refuses to turn on, it's doing what I need it to do so I'm happy.
My running belt seems ageless but that could be because I only wear it maybe 15 times a year.
My running clothes, on the other hand, have a much shorter lifespan. One season for clothes I wear regularly, two for ones I don't. That's about how long it takes for them to a) start to develop holes in places you don't want holes or b) start to develop that deep down runner smell that no longer comes out in the wash. It's gross I know but, if you are a runner, you know what I'm talking about. If you aren't a runner, just pretend you didn't read that last paragraph and move along.
Running shoes? Well they last 4 months max. That's about how long it takes me to run 500k and, being an injury-prone runner, I don't push my luck much beyond that.
Golf clothes? I'm not sure yet. I'm just entering season two so we'll see. My golf shoes held up well through hundreds of kilometres of walking last summer and I'm hoping they last a second season. I doubt they'll see a third.
I've had the same swim goggles now for two years and they are still doing a wonderful job. Bathing suits however don't survive more than a few months in the chlorine.
All of this can get to be a little much. Even though I can get months, or years, out of my sports paraphernalia, I use so many different things that I feel like I'm always needing to replace something.
Last month it was running pants and shorts.
This week it's contact lenses.
My running shoes are next on the list since I have less than 150km left on them and am in the highest mileage part of my half-marathon training.
The price we pay for fitness eh?
I'm happy to pay it though because the price of non-fitness is much much higher.
This time last year I bought a box of 90 dailies and they lasted me pretty much 12 months.
I only wear contacts on days when I want to wear sunglasses so I really only use them for long runs in the sun, summer bike rides, long drives on sunny days or on golf days.
Other than that, I'm a glasses girl.
So 90 daily lenses lasted 365 days, give or take a handful.
Some fitness things last for what feels like forever. Others, not so much.
I bought my bicycle six years ago and the cycling shoes and cycling shorts I purchased that same day are still the shoes and shorts I wear. They're doing just fine so why replace them?
My cycling jerseys are also several years old. They don't have to put up with much friction however since it's my legs doing the work so they still look quite good.
My Garmin watch is so old I can't remember when I got it. At least three years ago. Probably closer to 4 but if you told me it was 5, I'd believe you. It's starting to show its age but, other than those days when it refuses to turn on, it's doing what I need it to do so I'm happy.
My running belt seems ageless but that could be because I only wear it maybe 15 times a year.
My running clothes, on the other hand, have a much shorter lifespan. One season for clothes I wear regularly, two for ones I don't. That's about how long it takes for them to a) start to develop holes in places you don't want holes or b) start to develop that deep down runner smell that no longer comes out in the wash. It's gross I know but, if you are a runner, you know what I'm talking about. If you aren't a runner, just pretend you didn't read that last paragraph and move along.
Running shoes? Well they last 4 months max. That's about how long it takes me to run 500k and, being an injury-prone runner, I don't push my luck much beyond that.
Golf clothes? I'm not sure yet. I'm just entering season two so we'll see. My golf shoes held up well through hundreds of kilometres of walking last summer and I'm hoping they last a second season. I doubt they'll see a third.
I've had the same swim goggles now for two years and they are still doing a wonderful job. Bathing suits however don't survive more than a few months in the chlorine.
All of this can get to be a little much. Even though I can get months, or years, out of my sports paraphernalia, I use so many different things that I feel like I'm always needing to replace something.
Last month it was running pants and shorts.
This week it's contact lenses.
My running shoes are next on the list since I have less than 150km left on them and am in the highest mileage part of my half-marathon training.
The price we pay for fitness eh?
I'm happy to pay it though because the price of non-fitness is much much higher.
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