May 22: Steve, Connor and I did the Incline (http://www.inclineclub.com/incline/) this morning for our pre 24-hour-travel-day workout. The Incline is still my favorite training workout of all and if Tracker could talk, I’m sure he would concur. As we drive there, he can tell when we get close and his excitement level (and whining and yipping) rise to volumes that Bose headphones wouldn’t block out. Steve takes off, practically running up the Incline while Connor and I take it one step at a time and take turns talking about what hurts the most. We estimated today that there are about 1600 steps to the top. The best part is reaching French Creek and watching Tracker drink and bathe in the cool mountain stream water, then running the 4 miles down Barr Trail.We leave for Australia today! Everyone is looking forward to spending 3 weeks on the Australia Gold Coast. I’m not sure everyone in the family is looking forward to 3 weeks together in an RV, but we’ll make the most of it. I am surprise CBS didn’t contact us yet to see if they could do a reality TV show of us.
May 21: Then are days when your training doesn’t go according to your plan. Today was one of them. Woke up tired, and out just plain out of sorts. The decision point was: go to the gym anyway, or stay home and eat everything in sight and fall back into bed, call in sick, and eat my way through a couple of pints of Ben and Jerry’s. I did make it to the gym and had a very intense workout that included 10 minutes of the spinning bike pedals carrying my feet around in circles and then, exhausted, crawling to the treadmill and walking at a snail’s pace for 10 minutes. The intensity of my workout was so overwhelming that I had to go home and replenish the calories I burned by eating an incredibly large breakfast.
May 18th: It was a good training week. Some weeks work and everything comes together.
May 11: Back in the (bike) saddle again to do the Fountain loop again with Steve, Kathy and Diane; the same ride that instigated the worst bike ride ever. I have a new helmet (always buy a new helmet when you smash yours after unexpected contact with the ground). This likely accounts for the incredible speed I was cycling at today. I finished the loop in 3:03 today, shaving off a whopping 12 minutes off last week’s ride (last week’s time didn’t include the time spent on the ground. I had the presence of mind to pause my Garmin after I gained consciousness.)One of the most enjoyable things about training and doing these events is the cool people you meet. We met Kathy through the Pike’s Peak Triathlon club. She was diagnosed with MS in September of ’07. She used to do tris, but her MS affects her running; she drags one foot slightly and can’t maintain her gait and balance when running, so she is sticking to the bike and training for the MS150. I met Diane for the first time today; a 55 year old grandmother of 2 who does triathlons. Both women kick butt on the bike! Which brings me to one of the things I mentally struggle with in my training and participation in these events: I’m tired of being the slowest person I train with! Either I have to get stronger and faster or find slower training partners!May 10: Connor and I did the MS walk this morning while Steve served as the official walk event photographer. It was chilly and windy again today; causing us to curse this year’s Colorado weather for the 1000th time (Connor had 4 of 6 track meets cancelled due to snow this Spring!).
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
May 5 - 9
May 9: Some days just don’t go according to schedule. Planned on a tempo run at the YMCA on the treadmill and I felt crummy. Ran a mile, walked, jogged a little, and decided today’s training wasn’t going to go according to plan. I generally take these days in stride and listen to what’s going on with my body and mind; I push it when I feel good and don’t push it on the bad days. My imaginary coach tells me I must push through the crappy days too if I want to improve, but I turn up my ipod and tune him out.
May 8: “Work interferes with training”: 7 AM work meeting means no morning training. Crazy busy day at work, so today turned out to be a day off instead of my speed run day. Where do speed dialing and marathon meetings fit into my training schedule?May 7: Easy 1 hour spin in the living room while watching the Women’s Triathlon Olympic Trials on my DVR. When I think about slowing down or how much I hurt it helps to watch the 11 women who are kicking butt at the trials in Tuscaloosa Alabama last weekend.
May 6: Recovering from my traumatic bike wreck on Sunday. Did an easy 2500 yd swim today with an extra strength Tylenol chaser.
May 5: Yesterday’s bike ride was the worst ride I’ve ever had (not that I have vast experience to draw from). I’m finally recovered enough this morning to write about it.I did so many little things wrong, things I know to do and not to do. I didn’t prepare for the ride like I should have and was already tired from a long run yesterday. I’ve only done about 2 hours max, or 25 miles max rides this year and yesterday’s ride was a 40 mile loop. Weather was great; and Steve had a 10:00 ride scheduled for our TriForMS bike team. I ate a good breakfast (high protein waffles with applesauce) but didn’t eat again before the ride. I went out too fast and too hard the first 15 miles; I was riding with our friend Mike and I was pushing myself. I had a blast drafting off him though! I didn’t drink enough and slowed down a bit. I was riding with Steve at about mile 20, and was drafting off him. A gust of wind came up and blew me into his back tire and the next thing I remember I was laying on the side of the road on my back. I laid there for a few minutes then got back on and rode along at a more leisurely pace. I didn’t take enough to eat, and starting slowing down and bonked at about mile 30. I didn’t wear sunscreen and got sunburned. By the time we got back to the car (40 miles, 3:14) I was spent. Went home and crashed on the couch, but couldn’t sleep because my head was pounding. I had the worst headache I’ve ever had. Finally went to the ER around 6 to make sure I wasn’t going to die. They said it was a slight concussion, but didn’t think I needed an MRI. Downed some extra strength Tylenol and went home. Not a great night’s sleep as my neck proceeded to stiffen up as the night went on. I am thankful for Steve who made sure I was taken care of today!Let this be a good lesson learned for me: over prepare for a ride (or long run), ride with a group so they can watch out for you when you crash, push hard, but know your limits, hydrate and keep your calorie intake up, and most of all, be thankful that I have the opportunity to ride (even bad ones) because so many people can’t.May 3: Long run day. Ran with my running partner (Tracker) on the Sante Fe trail. Finally, great weather. Ran 9 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes. Feeling pretty fatigued when I finished! My great joy today was I wore Tracker out.
May 8: “Work interferes with training”: 7 AM work meeting means no morning training. Crazy busy day at work, so today turned out to be a day off instead of my speed run day. Where do speed dialing and marathon meetings fit into my training schedule?May 7: Easy 1 hour spin in the living room while watching the Women’s Triathlon Olympic Trials on my DVR. When I think about slowing down or how much I hurt it helps to watch the 11 women who are kicking butt at the trials in Tuscaloosa Alabama last weekend.
May 6: Recovering from my traumatic bike wreck on Sunday. Did an easy 2500 yd swim today with an extra strength Tylenol chaser.
May 5: Yesterday’s bike ride was the worst ride I’ve ever had (not that I have vast experience to draw from). I’m finally recovered enough this morning to write about it.I did so many little things wrong, things I know to do and not to do. I didn’t prepare for the ride like I should have and was already tired from a long run yesterday. I’ve only done about 2 hours max, or 25 miles max rides this year and yesterday’s ride was a 40 mile loop. Weather was great; and Steve had a 10:00 ride scheduled for our TriForMS bike team. I ate a good breakfast (high protein waffles with applesauce) but didn’t eat again before the ride. I went out too fast and too hard the first 15 miles; I was riding with our friend Mike and I was pushing myself. I had a blast drafting off him though! I didn’t drink enough and slowed down a bit. I was riding with Steve at about mile 20, and was drafting off him. A gust of wind came up and blew me into his back tire and the next thing I remember I was laying on the side of the road on my back. I laid there for a few minutes then got back on and rode along at a more leisurely pace. I didn’t take enough to eat, and starting slowing down and bonked at about mile 30. I didn’t wear sunscreen and got sunburned. By the time we got back to the car (40 miles, 3:14) I was spent. Went home and crashed on the couch, but couldn’t sleep because my head was pounding. I had the worst headache I’ve ever had. Finally went to the ER around 6 to make sure I wasn’t going to die. They said it was a slight concussion, but didn’t think I needed an MRI. Downed some extra strength Tylenol and went home. Not a great night’s sleep as my neck proceeded to stiffen up as the night went on. I am thankful for Steve who made sure I was taken care of today!Let this be a good lesson learned for me: over prepare for a ride (or long run), ride with a group so they can watch out for you when you crash, push hard, but know your limits, hydrate and keep your calorie intake up, and most of all, be thankful that I have the opportunity to ride (even bad ones) because so many people can’t.May 3: Long run day. Ran with my running partner (Tracker) on the Sante Fe trail. Finally, great weather. Ran 9 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes. Feeling pretty fatigued when I finished! My great joy today was I wore Tracker out.
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