The Ironman experience was truly priceless but when I first signed up I decided to keep a spreadsheet of the costs associated with training to get to the big day. I think the cost is a very personal thing because there is a way to do it on a strict budget or a way to go all out but I tried to do it within a reasonable budget.
The first expense is of course the sign up cost which let me tell you is a little tough to stomach at $821.50 inclusive of the insurance and active.com fees. I decided to go the coaching route which added a monthly cost but there are also lots of books and resources to be self-coached so that is not a required expense. I did not track my additional grocery spending but training not only increased my food intake but it also caused me to buy more healthy, fresh foods.
Every training session needs fuel and there are many options for race nutrition from gels, gus, powders and even real food. I chose Generation Ucan and supplemented with some squeezable fruit pouches, over all I spent about $500 on Ucan. Your bike will need accessories but I ended up spending some money to get a new bike that was carbon after I won a bike in a raffle. I needed new tires after getting a flat and then bought an aero bottle holder, new seat, aero bars and several pairs of new shorts in the great "comfort" experience of 2015.
There were many training camps offered throughout the summer that I did not attend because I wanted to keep the budget under control. I did, however travel to do a free camp in Chattanooga to get a feel for the course and I think that was the best thing I could have done. Seeing the course for myself and knowing I had concurred it was a big confidence booster although it was definitely expensive to fly with the bike.
The thing about the Ironman is that it isn't just that one day you spent upwards of $700 dollars to participate in, it is the gym memberships, the pool memberships, the early morning work outs, the hundreds of miles on your bike, the countless miles on your shoes, it all adds up. I think it is important to keep this in mind when you sign up because the stress of training coupled with the stress of paying for everything can be overwhelming. You don't need all the bells and whistles but some of the whistles, like coaching, make the overall experience better and probably more successful.
My total over all ended up being around $7,000 but I am sure that doesn't count a lot of things I should have added. Looking through the list I realized a lot of the things I spent money on I could continue to use and therefore get more bang from my investment...so with that happy news I am delighted to share I will be doing Ironman Louisville next year!
See, never say never, I guess I was one and done until that one was done and then well I need to beat my time ;-)
Showing posts with label #encouragement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #encouragement. Show all posts
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Peace out 2014, a year of major accomplishments and major setbacks!
2014 started as most New Years do, with promise and lofty goals. The year ended with many of those goals accomplished and some important lessons and learning as most do.
This time last year, if I am truly honest with myself and go back to my blog I was recovering from foot surgery and I was ITCHING to do something, I hadn't really learned to swim yet, hadn't been on the new bike I had bought and frankly wasn't so confident about my running post surgery. I had a long way to go before my first half iron in June but I was feeling excited mixed with the anxious feeling of needing to get off the couch.
Swimming proved to be an arch nemesis and I switched exclusively to swimming a 50 meter pool that was much further from my house in order to push myself. That worked wonders until I had a complete and utter meltdown at my very first ever open water swim in May, ok well maybe not complete because I didn't cry but let's face it I contemplated giving up MANY times. People always say to me, "Oh I wish I could do what you do but...(insert reason here, I'm scared, I can't swim, I freak out, I want to quit, I don't have time)." Well I have news for you and if you read my blog you know this, but I want to quit many days, I have meltdowns where I cry on the floor over something stupid because I have been training for weeks and I'm sleepy and sore and I've reached my limit, I get overwhelmed with my dreams and goals, BUT I don't give up, I don't quit, I stay the course. That is the important lesson to learn and that I hope I have conveyed in the last year. I was never a natural athlete, this does not come easily for me and this journey has taxed me more mentally than physically.
Looking back on 2014 I'm disappointed in myself for getting hurt and therefore not meeting the very high goals I had set for myself at the start of the year. I'm frustrated and tired of the injections, the physical therapy, the constant doctors appointment, and most importantly the lack of a training schedule presenting me with solid base and improvements as I head into an even bigger 2015. The injury has taught me valuable lessons and I need to focus on those lessons in my periods of frustration and self doubt. I know that if push comes to shove mentally I can make my body work through pain, not of course broken bone pain again but in the instance of a grueling race I can have mental toughness. I will never forget the words said to me by someone who has known me from the awkward first days of college, "You are way stronger than anyone has ever given you credit for". Those words have stuck with me since they were uttered in June and they have powered me through.
When I think to all the physical pain I have endured I remember Packy and the fact he suffered far worse and he never gave up and he never complained. I'm sure he had internal complaints and some hidden meltdowns but to the outer world he portrayed his strength and that is important. As far as me, I am going to endeavor this year to be more honest via the blog as far as feelings of doubt, being scared, etc so that you can see that I'm not Teflon, this process is hard and anyone going through it or thinking about it should have a real picture not puppies and kittens. I want people to say, "I decided to try it because after reading you try it I think I can do it."
Triathlons are hard, learning new sports is hard and sometimes demoralizing, long course events require extreme commitment and sacrifice. The benefits to me far out way the sacrifices, amazing friends, inspiring and teaching others, the feeling of crossing the finish line and let's face it looking pretty good in skinny jeans is a plus :-)
So 2014, I must say you were pretty positive. I'm so lucky to have the best parents/cheering squad in the business who followed me even to another country to support an endeavor that I am not sure they always understand. I have not had one major race without them and that means the world to me. I set a new half marathon PR and I set a new 5K PR during a sprint tri relay that my team won. I accomplished my goal of a half ironman race, I didn't get the time I wanted but I learned so much about race nutrition and myself, especially when I learned I did it with a stress fracture. I had my first DNF, I struggled with my feelings of being pulled for not making the bike cut off but realizing that everything in life holds a lesson and that was an important lesson for me. The understanding that you can only push yourself so far before you need to listen to your body and understand that rest is necessary. The understanding that a DNF is not a failure, it is not a negative but a positive message of a new goal and what I needed to work on. I accomplished the goal of learning how to take care of myself, rest according to orders and heal.
2015 is the year of the Ironman...more on that tomorrow.
This time last year, if I am truly honest with myself and go back to my blog I was recovering from foot surgery and I was ITCHING to do something, I hadn't really learned to swim yet, hadn't been on the new bike I had bought and frankly wasn't so confident about my running post surgery. I had a long way to go before my first half iron in June but I was feeling excited mixed with the anxious feeling of needing to get off the couch.
Swimming proved to be an arch nemesis and I switched exclusively to swimming a 50 meter pool that was much further from my house in order to push myself. That worked wonders until I had a complete and utter meltdown at my very first ever open water swim in May, ok well maybe not complete because I didn't cry but let's face it I contemplated giving up MANY times. People always say to me, "Oh I wish I could do what you do but...(insert reason here, I'm scared, I can't swim, I freak out, I want to quit, I don't have time)." Well I have news for you and if you read my blog you know this, but I want to quit many days, I have meltdowns where I cry on the floor over something stupid because I have been training for weeks and I'm sleepy and sore and I've reached my limit, I get overwhelmed with my dreams and goals, BUT I don't give up, I don't quit, I stay the course. That is the important lesson to learn and that I hope I have conveyed in the last year. I was never a natural athlete, this does not come easily for me and this journey has taxed me more mentally than physically.
Looking back on 2014 I'm disappointed in myself for getting hurt and therefore not meeting the very high goals I had set for myself at the start of the year. I'm frustrated and tired of the injections, the physical therapy, the constant doctors appointment, and most importantly the lack of a training schedule presenting me with solid base and improvements as I head into an even bigger 2015. The injury has taught me valuable lessons and I need to focus on those lessons in my periods of frustration and self doubt. I know that if push comes to shove mentally I can make my body work through pain, not of course broken bone pain again but in the instance of a grueling race I can have mental toughness. I will never forget the words said to me by someone who has known me from the awkward first days of college, "You are way stronger than anyone has ever given you credit for". Those words have stuck with me since they were uttered in June and they have powered me through.
When I think to all the physical pain I have endured I remember Packy and the fact he suffered far worse and he never gave up and he never complained. I'm sure he had internal complaints and some hidden meltdowns but to the outer world he portrayed his strength and that is important. As far as me, I am going to endeavor this year to be more honest via the blog as far as feelings of doubt, being scared, etc so that you can see that I'm not Teflon, this process is hard and anyone going through it or thinking about it should have a real picture not puppies and kittens. I want people to say, "I decided to try it because after reading you try it I think I can do it."
Triathlons are hard, learning new sports is hard and sometimes demoralizing, long course events require extreme commitment and sacrifice. The benefits to me far out way the sacrifices, amazing friends, inspiring and teaching others, the feeling of crossing the finish line and let's face it looking pretty good in skinny jeans is a plus :-)
So 2014, I must say you were pretty positive. I'm so lucky to have the best parents/cheering squad in the business who followed me even to another country to support an endeavor that I am not sure they always understand. I have not had one major race without them and that means the world to me. I set a new half marathon PR and I set a new 5K PR during a sprint tri relay that my team won. I accomplished my goal of a half ironman race, I didn't get the time I wanted but I learned so much about race nutrition and myself, especially when I learned I did it with a stress fracture. I had my first DNF, I struggled with my feelings of being pulled for not making the bike cut off but realizing that everything in life holds a lesson and that was an important lesson for me. The understanding that you can only push yourself so far before you need to listen to your body and understand that rest is necessary. The understanding that a DNF is not a failure, it is not a negative but a positive message of a new goal and what I needed to work on. I accomplished the goal of learning how to take care of myself, rest according to orders and heal.
2015 is the year of the Ironman...more on that tomorrow.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Tenacious D...I mean triathlete...Tenacious Triathlete.
The other day I was talking with a very good friend of mine who shares my passion and dedication for running and it gave me a brilliant idea for a blog.
I have long been called stubborn, strong willed and pigheaded (thanks mom). While sitting down to write this I looked up some synonyms for stubborn and I picked out a few I really like, tenacious, persistent and iron-willed. Sure there were plenty of synonyms that have much more negative connotations but for the purpose of our conversation we are going to stick with the positive. Just like in life, if you keep a positive spin on things you will be happier in my opinion.
Being stubborn to a degree is a require trait for any endurance event because your legs will want to quit, your body will be exhausted, your brain will question your motives and you need that small part of you that says, "sorry shut up legs, get over it body and who cares brain." I've been pigheaded since I was a small child and I am sure that made things slightly difficult for my parents but I think they did a fabulous job of fostering my fierce independence while reigning me in when it was necessary. My mom might just describe me as complete nuts now after watching my races, kidding, at least I hope.
Whenever I meet new people they are always amazed when I say my first ever running race was a half marathon and their eyes bug out of their heads when I say I signed up for a half iron having no idea how to swim. The first thing they always ask is "how did you know you would be ready." My answer is always, "there was no other option." It isn't in my DNA to not complete a challenge that I have created. Now to clarify I always make sure I have the proper lead time going into a race to ensure I have the correct training but I can't imagine signing up and then not doing the work to make it happen. It isn't to prove something to anyone else and I think that is the important fact, it is for me to show myself that I am capable of the greatest challenges I can find.
This tenacity is why I love my role in helping others achieve their goals and helping them to learn how to be stubborn. Mental toughness can be trained just like anything else but it is MUCH harder. Unfortunately being strong-willed isn't always a great personality trait in my current rehab senario and it likely is what caused me to have a harder recovery since I didn't head to the dr at the first sign of pain.
After a month in das boot I moved to real shoes this week and let me tell you that was a HUGE relief as I was so tired of wearing that stupid boot. The physical therapist and the doctor are pleased with my progress after the Platelet Replacement Therapy, which was the most painful experience of my life. I, however, am frustrated and impatient and trying very hard to not over do things as I wait for the tendons to figure out how to repair themselves and stop constantly hurting.
I'm feeling the pressure of my impending race season and it is making me feel extremely restless to get back to training but I know that pushing too hard right now could cost me months or even a race in the future. How does one stubbornly rest? Well they start getting back to strength training slowly while monitoring their foot, they learn to ice said foot three times a day and they read a bunch of books about training. I've also been doing some mentoring and I volunteered at the NYC marathon which was a fabulous chance to meet some wonderful ladies. It is a great feeling when people come up to you and say "Oh wow YOU are Katrina! I've heard so much about you!"
Here's to an injury free 2015 and a soon to be productive off season!
I have long been called stubborn, strong willed and pigheaded (thanks mom). While sitting down to write this I looked up some synonyms for stubborn and I picked out a few I really like, tenacious, persistent and iron-willed. Sure there were plenty of synonyms that have much more negative connotations but for the purpose of our conversation we are going to stick with the positive. Just like in life, if you keep a positive spin on things you will be happier in my opinion.
Being stubborn to a degree is a require trait for any endurance event because your legs will want to quit, your body will be exhausted, your brain will question your motives and you need that small part of you that says, "sorry shut up legs, get over it body and who cares brain." I've been pigheaded since I was a small child and I am sure that made things slightly difficult for my parents but I think they did a fabulous job of fostering my fierce independence while reigning me in when it was necessary. My mom might just describe me as complete nuts now after watching my races, kidding, at least I hope.
Whenever I meet new people they are always amazed when I say my first ever running race was a half marathon and their eyes bug out of their heads when I say I signed up for a half iron having no idea how to swim. The first thing they always ask is "how did you know you would be ready." My answer is always, "there was no other option." It isn't in my DNA to not complete a challenge that I have created. Now to clarify I always make sure I have the proper lead time going into a race to ensure I have the correct training but I can't imagine signing up and then not doing the work to make it happen. It isn't to prove something to anyone else and I think that is the important fact, it is for me to show myself that I am capable of the greatest challenges I can find.
This tenacity is why I love my role in helping others achieve their goals and helping them to learn how to be stubborn. Mental toughness can be trained just like anything else but it is MUCH harder. Unfortunately being strong-willed isn't always a great personality trait in my current rehab senario and it likely is what caused me to have a harder recovery since I didn't head to the dr at the first sign of pain.
After a month in das boot I moved to real shoes this week and let me tell you that was a HUGE relief as I was so tired of wearing that stupid boot. The physical therapist and the doctor are pleased with my progress after the Platelet Replacement Therapy, which was the most painful experience of my life. I, however, am frustrated and impatient and trying very hard to not over do things as I wait for the tendons to figure out how to repair themselves and stop constantly hurting.
I'm feeling the pressure of my impending race season and it is making me feel extremely restless to get back to training but I know that pushing too hard right now could cost me months or even a race in the future. How does one stubbornly rest? Well they start getting back to strength training slowly while monitoring their foot, they learn to ice said foot three times a day and they read a bunch of books about training. I've also been doing some mentoring and I volunteered at the NYC marathon which was a fabulous chance to meet some wonderful ladies. It is a great feeling when people come up to you and say "Oh wow YOU are Katrina! I've heard so much about you!"
Here's to an injury free 2015 and a soon to be productive off season!
Resetting the mile counters to 0 (until I'm cleared to really work out they will stay there)
Swim:
Bike:
Run:
Saturday, October 4, 2014
If your dreams don't scare you they aren't big enough
Dreams can mean so many different things for so many people but for me a dream is a goal that I set for myself that seems unattainable. You don't want your dreams to be easy because going down an easy path doesn't make you grow as a person. If you don't face your fears you will never feel the euphoric feeling of accomplishment that comes when you do something that your brain was convinced you could NOT do.
My next adventure will be long, grueling, exciting, and no doubt extremely life changing. On Monday, September 29th in a coordinated conference call effort, Jamie, Ladawn and I all signed up for the 2015 Little Debbie Chattanooga, Tennessee IRONMAN. Yes, we had a conference call, we are all very type A and had to ensure everyone got in since it sold out in minutes last year. Turned out it took a few more days to sell out this year but we were all pretty excited anyway. We whipped out our credit cards and over $800 later I was ready to embark on the toughest physical challenge I have ever faced. The business and cost of Ironman will come in a later post, but let's just say it is not for the faint of heart.
The past month dealing with my injury and the countless appointments made me very much doubt my ability and mental capacity to continue my journey to a 140.6 race. However, I had a brief come to jesus moment after I got back to NYC from Canada when I was walking down the street and having a particularly down day when I saw a Captain America shirt. As you might know my cousin Packy loved Captain America and I took this is as sign from him, which I generally always do, well that and when I see bud light another favorite of his :) Anyway, here I was feeling sorry for myself and complaining about my doctor's appointments to get my foot better when my foot clearly is not a life threatening injury.
Perspective is a beautiful thing my friends.
Perspective that the whole reason I wanted to do Chattanooga is the charity is Crohns and Colitis foundation, a foundation that is searching for a cure to the disease that Packy fought. A deeper meaning that going into this training is my testament that Packy truly did teach me to Never Give Up not to only do it if it was fun, or easy, or I wasn't hurt. I can handle a few doctor's appointments in order to get myself back in top shape for my upcoming 2015 race schedule if Packy could handle the countless appointments to try and stay with us.
Don't get me wrong I will still have days I feel completely overwhelmed but those days I will make sure to remember I have my angel with me. Every mile of that 140.6 is to celebrate a person that changed the lives of countless people and impacted the world in his short time here. Every mile of training is to reaffirm that I'm alive, that I have hopes and dreams and that I deserve to be at that level of race.
Before Barrelman in my lucky Captain America Shirt with the people who always support my wacky adventures and let's face it sometimes are the cause...I'm looking at you in the background JAMIE!
Dream big, dance in the rain, smile at a stranger and remember life is one big adventure.
Resetting the mile counters to 0 (until I'm cleared to really work out they will stay there)
Swim:
Bike:
Run:
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
The lost summer of 2014
I have majorly slacked on updating pretty much all summer which is mirrored by the fact I haven't trained or raced well either. Let's try our best to do a short, concise catch up post before starting into the new, fun stuff.
Long Island Triathlon
We signed up for the Long Island Triathlon as a relay team for All Women's Tri Team, I was running the 5K. I'm not a very good 5K runner, I am really more of a distance runner but I figure I need to get faster at some point. The course was a little weird you ran on pavement for about a quarter mile, three laps on grass, a quarter mile on sand and then finished up on pavement. I was pretty worried about the grass but that was only because I didn't know about the sand at the time! I managed to figure out the grass but when I was hit with the sand well let's just say we are lucky I didn't stop entirely. I had to walk a bit, it felt like quicksand! Once I got back on solid ground I sprinted the heck out of that last part and ended up with a fabulous PR of 24:57. Our team even won the Women's Relay grouping!
Aftermath
After the Long Island Triathlon is when things got a bit out of control. I woke up unable to breathe with a racing heart rate and managed to drag myself to urgent care. After passing out during a breathing treatment it became pretty obvious I was in fact quite sick. Turns out I had a very serious lung infection which lead to a two week break from working out.
Sadly that break from working out cause the aches and pains to start coming to light and turned out my left foot was KILLING me. Off to the dr I went rather begrudgingly to discover that I was in fact falling apart. Do you know how to make a triathlete very sad? Tell them that they have an injured rotator cuff due to a bike accident, asthma, allergies, a stress fracture in their foot as well as ligament and tendon damage. How about that for a lot to handle? I went from on top of the world to completely down in the dumps.
Physical Therapy
I personally find that physical therapy is harder than training because you are in immense pain and it is mentally exhausting without the normal endorphins from working out. The stress fracture was complicated by the fact I trained on it for probably several months, oops someone has a high pain threshold. I have learned that tendons and ligaments are MUCH harder to heal then bones, well isn't that just peachy. I spent most of the time very focused on getting ready for Barrelman because I refused to admit I couldn't do it. After months of painful physical therapy and no training I don't know why I even thought I could do the race but sometimes I can be stubborn. Ok, ok not sometimes.
Barrelman
I wasn't trained and I had no right to expect my body to perform to that level BUT well I'm a stubborn, pigheaded brat (thanks mom) and I couldn't quit. I do have to give myself some credit because I hadn't really swim in weeks, unless of course you count some leisure swimming in the Spain and France and let's face it that was hardly training. The practice swim the day before didn't go very well but the water wasn't too bad, cold but not terrible and it was really clear. The swim was hard and I wanted to quit several times, maybe some day I will love swimming or hell even like swimming but today was not that day. The water was so clear but I got kicked and hit more than any other swim.
Coming up from the swim I realized it was pretty on par with Eagleman which given my horrible lack of training was not awful It was fabulous to see my parents when I was trying to "run" to transition. I felt very light headed coming up out of the water only to discover that there were yellow jackets in my bento box. YELLOW JACKETS. You should have seen me in transition trying to spray water to get them out. Eventually I realized one was going to stick with me and set off on the bike course.
The course was not too hilly which was good until I realized there was a constant headwind. You actually had to pedal to go downhill, yes you read that correctly, I had to PEDAL to go DOWN hill. Holy crap I was not prepared. About 10 miles in I had a completely meltdown yelling at myself 'This isn't even fun' 'WHY are you doing this?' 'This is STUPID'. Of course I stuck with it because Packy was with me and well let's face it I'm stubborn (noticing a trend yet). It was the hardest bike experience of my life, constant headwinds, dangerous crosswinds, wet roads, a foot that hurt and a hamstring that was aching due to compensation. I really should have rejoiced when I pulled in to transition 6 MINUTES over the cut off but I didn't, I was extremely upset and disappointed. 6 freaken minutes, that was all and in reality given my lack of training and the tough conditions I should have been proud but instead I was pissed at myself, upset that I hadn't pushed through the pain to train, ticked off that I slacked on my vacation, angry that the foot wasn't improving. You name a negative emotion and I felt it.
After I had time to eat, get some water in me, stretch, and some tears I realized it was for the best, if my day was going to end early it ended before I started the run and possibly caused set backs in my foot recovery. It was a win because I wanted to quit so many times and I didn't, I powered through and tried the best I could get from my body on that day. That doesn't mean it is the best I can do ever it was just the best I could do given the exact conditions on that day. Another day will be better and the best part of life is you just have to keep moving forward and you will come across those days that the stars align perfectly for you.
Now that you have fallen asleep I will leave you with a nice little quote that means a lot to me "'It's impossible,' said pride. 'It's risky,' said experience.'It's pointless,' said reason. 'Give it a try,' whispered heart."
Listen to your heart, try the impossible, take risks and realize nothing in life is every pointless you are always learning.
Long Island Triathlon
We signed up for the Long Island Triathlon as a relay team for All Women's Tri Team, I was running the 5K. I'm not a very good 5K runner, I am really more of a distance runner but I figure I need to get faster at some point. The course was a little weird you ran on pavement for about a quarter mile, three laps on grass, a quarter mile on sand and then finished up on pavement. I was pretty worried about the grass but that was only because I didn't know about the sand at the time! I managed to figure out the grass but when I was hit with the sand well let's just say we are lucky I didn't stop entirely. I had to walk a bit, it felt like quicksand! Once I got back on solid ground I sprinted the heck out of that last part and ended up with a fabulous PR of 24:57. Our team even won the Women's Relay grouping!
Aftermath
After the Long Island Triathlon is when things got a bit out of control. I woke up unable to breathe with a racing heart rate and managed to drag myself to urgent care. After passing out during a breathing treatment it became pretty obvious I was in fact quite sick. Turns out I had a very serious lung infection which lead to a two week break from working out.
Sadly that break from working out cause the aches and pains to start coming to light and turned out my left foot was KILLING me. Off to the dr I went rather begrudgingly to discover that I was in fact falling apart. Do you know how to make a triathlete very sad? Tell them that they have an injured rotator cuff due to a bike accident, asthma, allergies, a stress fracture in their foot as well as ligament and tendon damage. How about that for a lot to handle? I went from on top of the world to completely down in the dumps.
Physical Therapy
I personally find that physical therapy is harder than training because you are in immense pain and it is mentally exhausting without the normal endorphins from working out. The stress fracture was complicated by the fact I trained on it for probably several months, oops someone has a high pain threshold. I have learned that tendons and ligaments are MUCH harder to heal then bones, well isn't that just peachy. I spent most of the time very focused on getting ready for Barrelman because I refused to admit I couldn't do it. After months of painful physical therapy and no training I don't know why I even thought I could do the race but sometimes I can be stubborn. Ok, ok not sometimes.
Barrelman
I wasn't trained and I had no right to expect my body to perform to that level BUT well I'm a stubborn, pigheaded brat (thanks mom) and I couldn't quit. I do have to give myself some credit because I hadn't really swim in weeks, unless of course you count some leisure swimming in the Spain and France and let's face it that was hardly training. The practice swim the day before didn't go very well but the water wasn't too bad, cold but not terrible and it was really clear. The swim was hard and I wanted to quit several times, maybe some day I will love swimming or hell even like swimming but today was not that day. The water was so clear but I got kicked and hit more than any other swim.
Coming up from the swim I realized it was pretty on par with Eagleman which given my horrible lack of training was not awful It was fabulous to see my parents when I was trying to "run" to transition. I felt very light headed coming up out of the water only to discover that there were yellow jackets in my bento box. YELLOW JACKETS. You should have seen me in transition trying to spray water to get them out. Eventually I realized one was going to stick with me and set off on the bike course.
The course was not too hilly which was good until I realized there was a constant headwind. You actually had to pedal to go downhill, yes you read that correctly, I had to PEDAL to go DOWN hill. Holy crap I was not prepared. About 10 miles in I had a completely meltdown yelling at myself 'This isn't even fun' 'WHY are you doing this?' 'This is STUPID'. Of course I stuck with it because Packy was with me and well let's face it I'm stubborn (noticing a trend yet). It was the hardest bike experience of my life, constant headwinds, dangerous crosswinds, wet roads, a foot that hurt and a hamstring that was aching due to compensation. I really should have rejoiced when I pulled in to transition 6 MINUTES over the cut off but I didn't, I was extremely upset and disappointed. 6 freaken minutes, that was all and in reality given my lack of training and the tough conditions I should have been proud but instead I was pissed at myself, upset that I hadn't pushed through the pain to train, ticked off that I slacked on my vacation, angry that the foot wasn't improving. You name a negative emotion and I felt it.
After I had time to eat, get some water in me, stretch, and some tears I realized it was for the best, if my day was going to end early it ended before I started the run and possibly caused set backs in my foot recovery. It was a win because I wanted to quit so many times and I didn't, I powered through and tried the best I could get from my body on that day. That doesn't mean it is the best I can do ever it was just the best I could do given the exact conditions on that day. Another day will be better and the best part of life is you just have to keep moving forward and you will come across those days that the stars align perfectly for you.
Now that you have fallen asleep I will leave you with a nice little quote that means a lot to me "'It's impossible,' said pride. 'It's risky,' said experience.'It's pointless,' said reason. 'Give it a try,' whispered heart."
Listen to your heart, try the impossible, take risks and realize nothing in life is every pointless you are always learning.
Monday, June 2, 2014
Road to Eagleman 2014
I would love to start this post with "When I signed up for Eagleman in October 2013 I was a talented Triathlete with a bunch of sprints and olympics under my belt. I was very experienced and knowledgeable about all three disciplines and owned an expensive bike." As you probably know by now that could not be farther from the truth
In October 2013, I did not own a bike and I did not know how to swim but I had just been through the most tumultuous time in my life and was very deep in the marathon training process. My best friend's husband had completed an IronMan in May of 2013 and I had been riveted by his training and hearing about the race itself. My friend Jamie decided she wanted to try her hand at a half iron man and told me that I at least had to come cheer. I figured if I was going to cheer why not just do the race I had all the resources available to me to become better, Jamie was going to prepare a schedule of races to get me prepared and I had all the time in the world since work was my only distraction.
In October 2013 I was just learning to redefine myself and I had thrown myself in marathon training as a means to center myself and regain control over my life. I was feeling a little adrift and in the midst of major life changes of selling my house as well as all my stuff to make the move back to the city. Truthfully while selling the house was terribly sad the move was actually a freeing experience because I was able to start over in a sense. Plus the loss of that commute changed my life in so many positive ways (more time for training)!
When I explain to people that I signed up for a half iron man having no swim skills nor owning a bike they normally look at me as though I am completely insane or have two heads. Often times they will say "What was going on in your life". Many times I say back "well I got divorced." It is pretty weird but that seems to be the only thing they need to hear to make sense of my crazy choice, I guess divorce makes people do crazy things. If your life is headed in one direction and suddenly takes a drastic turn as I see it you have two choices; wallow in self pity and relive the past day after day or take charge and become the person you always knew you were. I clearly chose the later with a little help from my friends.
As I sit here, 6 days out from Eagleman 2014 I am nervous but I am excited. I'm proud of myself for taking a leap of faith in my own dedication and athletic abilities. I'm in awe of how far I have come since October but excited to improve even more over the summer. The past months have been filled with conquering fears, completing new challenges and coming into my own skin to be more confident and self assured. I've restored my own independence and control over my life. The sport of Triathlon is more than a sport, it is a lifestyle born out of dedication and sheer desire to better yourself to conquer fears and achieve goals.
I may not have a swinging social life and I'm sorry to everyone that I don't call or visit as often. I don't get as much sleep as I would like most nights and some days I really don't want to drag myself to the pool but on those days when I reach a new goal there is nothing better in life. I don't have quiet, relaxing weekends anymore they are filled with fun new friends and adventures.
The friendships I have made as a result of my interest and rather crazy choice to do a half Iron man are extremely valuable and important to me. The women of All Women's Triathlon team have become family to me and many of them have faced far greater challenges and adversities than I can imagine but we lift each other up to excel at this sport we have decided is our passion. My biggest fear for race day is not letting myself down but letting down the women who have such confidence in my abilities to complete this race.
I'm honored and extremely proud to be a part of an amazing group of women that strive to help, train, and assist other women. No woman left behind! I will make them proud on Sunday, June 8th although I think many of them are already proud to have participated in my journey. I will make my parents proud on June 8th although I am pretty sure my parents couldn't be more proud than they already are and my mom could do with less open water swimming ;-) I will make myself proud on June 8th although I am already so proud that I took a leap of faith to start this journey to discover a life I never realized I wanted to live until I was a fancy watch, a nice bike and multiple tri outfits deep in it.
Alright Packy, it's you and me buddy....let's ROCK this!
In October 2013, I did not own a bike and I did not know how to swim but I had just been through the most tumultuous time in my life and was very deep in the marathon training process. My best friend's husband had completed an IronMan in May of 2013 and I had been riveted by his training and hearing about the race itself. My friend Jamie decided she wanted to try her hand at a half iron man and told me that I at least had to come cheer. I figured if I was going to cheer why not just do the race I had all the resources available to me to become better, Jamie was going to prepare a schedule of races to get me prepared and I had all the time in the world since work was my only distraction.
In October 2013 I was just learning to redefine myself and I had thrown myself in marathon training as a means to center myself and regain control over my life. I was feeling a little adrift and in the midst of major life changes of selling my house as well as all my stuff to make the move back to the city. Truthfully while selling the house was terribly sad the move was actually a freeing experience because I was able to start over in a sense. Plus the loss of that commute changed my life in so many positive ways (more time for training)!
When I explain to people that I signed up for a half iron man having no swim skills nor owning a bike they normally look at me as though I am completely insane or have two heads. Often times they will say "What was going on in your life". Many times I say back "well I got divorced." It is pretty weird but that seems to be the only thing they need to hear to make sense of my crazy choice, I guess divorce makes people do crazy things. If your life is headed in one direction and suddenly takes a drastic turn as I see it you have two choices; wallow in self pity and relive the past day after day or take charge and become the person you always knew you were. I clearly chose the later with a little help from my friends.
As I sit here, 6 days out from Eagleman 2014 I am nervous but I am excited. I'm proud of myself for taking a leap of faith in my own dedication and athletic abilities. I'm in awe of how far I have come since October but excited to improve even more over the summer. The past months have been filled with conquering fears, completing new challenges and coming into my own skin to be more confident and self assured. I've restored my own independence and control over my life. The sport of Triathlon is more than a sport, it is a lifestyle born out of dedication and sheer desire to better yourself to conquer fears and achieve goals.
I may not have a swinging social life and I'm sorry to everyone that I don't call or visit as often. I don't get as much sleep as I would like most nights and some days I really don't want to drag myself to the pool but on those days when I reach a new goal there is nothing better in life. I don't have quiet, relaxing weekends anymore they are filled with fun new friends and adventures.
The friendships I have made as a result of my interest and rather crazy choice to do a half Iron man are extremely valuable and important to me. The women of All Women's Triathlon team have become family to me and many of them have faced far greater challenges and adversities than I can imagine but we lift each other up to excel at this sport we have decided is our passion. My biggest fear for race day is not letting myself down but letting down the women who have such confidence in my abilities to complete this race.
I'm honored and extremely proud to be a part of an amazing group of women that strive to help, train, and assist other women. No woman left behind! I will make them proud on Sunday, June 8th although I think many of them are already proud to have participated in my journey. I will make my parents proud on June 8th although I am pretty sure my parents couldn't be more proud than they already are and my mom could do with less open water swimming ;-) I will make myself proud on June 8th although I am already so proud that I took a leap of faith to start this journey to discover a life I never realized I wanted to live until I was a fancy watch, a nice bike and multiple tri outfits deep in it.
Alright Packy, it's you and me buddy....let's ROCK this!
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Last Big Work Out
The bike ride the day after Brooklyn was awful, my legs were shot and by the end of it my confidence was completely destroyed. As I made my way back to my apartment I was having some pretty severe doubts about not only my ability to make it in under 8 and a half hours but also my ability to just finish at all. After some painful foam rolling and an early bedtime I reffocused on the week ahead.
Memorial Day weekend was a planed simulation of the event with a 56 mile bike ride followed by a 10 mile run on Saturday and then a 1.2 mile open water swim race on Sunday. Nerves were at an all time high Friday when I got completely soaked walking home from work which lead to about a 10 minute meltdown on my bedroom floor while I tried to pack and get things together to take out to Jamie's house on my bike. I was soaking wet, exhausted and freaked out. After a call with my mom I pulled myself together, threw some things in a back pack and set off across town for the subway. Once off the subway I walked my bike to the GW but decided to bike over and I'm glad I did. It was beautiful although VERY stormy on the south side of the bridge, in fact part of the way across there was lightening striking as I was riding. I think this was the exact confidence booster I needed!
BIKE
We woke up early and I had my generation Ucan and we set out on our bike ride with only a little sprinkle at the start. I felt completely different than the week prior and it was a confidence booster for sure. We had a few close calls with rude drivers but the bike ride was largely uneventful. With about an hour left I had to take my generation ucan gel that I had made and put into a plastic bag. This was not my most graceful moment but I did manage to eat most of it, while getting it all over my face and bike. I was pretty proud at how long I could ride with one hand, my bike handling has definitely improved!
RUN
Transitioning to the run I tried to hang with Jamie too long and gas'd myself out pretty early in the 10 miles. I need to be more aware and do my own pace and race. I did eventually get it together and the 10 mile run took my right under 2 hours which was my goal. I'm not trying to break any records, personal or otherwise on this half marathon!! The generation ucan from the bike did a great job and at the end of 10 miles I was just starting to feel hungry which was likely due to the fact I didn't get a chance to finish my whole baggie of gel.
SWIM
We woke up VERY early in the morning to head down to Rumson, New Jersey to swim in the Nave-sink river. My nerves got the best of me and I threw up on a porta-potty on our way down to the river. We checked in, got our swim caps, timing chips and body marked. I was definitely chilly as we put on our wet suits but pretty excited. Luckily Jamie and I headed down to the water for a test swim because as soon as I put my face in the water and realized all I could see was a murky yellow green color I had a freak out. My heart was racing, my brain was screaming and my body was giving up. Jamie told me to try Tarzan's so I did those and then realized that was going to exhausted me quickly so I decided to try breathing every three strokes. This helped trick my brain as I saw light every three strokes. Ladawn came down and we told her our tricks and she practiced a bit.
The men's group went and we headed to the start line with Ladawn and I holding hands and a plan that we would let the crazy people go ahead of us and start once it wasn't so stressful. Once we got going I lost Jamie and Ladawn in the sea of pink caps and decided ok well here goes nothing. That first buoy seemed SO far away and it seemed as though no matter how long I saw I never was going to make it there. Eventually though I managed to make that first left turn and start toward the far buoy. Unfortunately at that point I veer'd completely off course and when I brought my head up I noticed I was almost at the dock. After cursing myself I yelled I was fine to the guy who asked if I was ok and then turned myself back on course and set back to it. At this point I felt I had been in the water an hour and was getting no where, my heart started racing and I decided to roll over to my back. I looked up at the sky taking deep even breaths trying to calm myself down. Mentally my brain was not on my side at that point as I thought about how I needed to give up, I couldn't do it, I wasn't going to make it. Luckily something clicked and I said to myself "You can't quit, quitters don't get medals and you can't take a finish picture without a medal. You have given up WAY too much to give up now, two weeks before the race"
At the turn around buoy I got kicked in the face pretty hard but luckily my goggles didn't come off and the way back went MUCH more smoothly than the trip out! Sighting on the way back was nearly impossible because of the sun and there was a bit more chop to the water but my confidence had returned and I think that helped. Overall a 49 minute swim which is not terrible!
7 days until the big race!
Memorial Day weekend was a planed simulation of the event with a 56 mile bike ride followed by a 10 mile run on Saturday and then a 1.2 mile open water swim race on Sunday. Nerves were at an all time high Friday when I got completely soaked walking home from work which lead to about a 10 minute meltdown on my bedroom floor while I tried to pack and get things together to take out to Jamie's house on my bike. I was soaking wet, exhausted and freaked out. After a call with my mom I pulled myself together, threw some things in a back pack and set off across town for the subway. Once off the subway I walked my bike to the GW but decided to bike over and I'm glad I did. It was beautiful although VERY stormy on the south side of the bridge, in fact part of the way across there was lightening striking as I was riding. I think this was the exact confidence booster I needed!
BIKE
We woke up early and I had my generation Ucan and we set out on our bike ride with only a little sprinkle at the start. I felt completely different than the week prior and it was a confidence booster for sure. We had a few close calls with rude drivers but the bike ride was largely uneventful. With about an hour left I had to take my generation ucan gel that I had made and put into a plastic bag. This was not my most graceful moment but I did manage to eat most of it, while getting it all over my face and bike. I was pretty proud at how long I could ride with one hand, my bike handling has definitely improved!
RUN
Transitioning to the run I tried to hang with Jamie too long and gas'd myself out pretty early in the 10 miles. I need to be more aware and do my own pace and race. I did eventually get it together and the 10 mile run took my right under 2 hours which was my goal. I'm not trying to break any records, personal or otherwise on this half marathon!! The generation ucan from the bike did a great job and at the end of 10 miles I was just starting to feel hungry which was likely due to the fact I didn't get a chance to finish my whole baggie of gel.
SWIM
We woke up VERY early in the morning to head down to Rumson, New Jersey to swim in the Nave-sink river. My nerves got the best of me and I threw up on a porta-potty on our way down to the river. We checked in, got our swim caps, timing chips and body marked. I was definitely chilly as we put on our wet suits but pretty excited. Luckily Jamie and I headed down to the water for a test swim because as soon as I put my face in the water and realized all I could see was a murky yellow green color I had a freak out. My heart was racing, my brain was screaming and my body was giving up. Jamie told me to try Tarzan's so I did those and then realized that was going to exhausted me quickly so I decided to try breathing every three strokes. This helped trick my brain as I saw light every three strokes. Ladawn came down and we told her our tricks and she practiced a bit.
The men's group went and we headed to the start line with Ladawn and I holding hands and a plan that we would let the crazy people go ahead of us and start once it wasn't so stressful. Once we got going I lost Jamie and Ladawn in the sea of pink caps and decided ok well here goes nothing. That first buoy seemed SO far away and it seemed as though no matter how long I saw I never was going to make it there. Eventually though I managed to make that first left turn and start toward the far buoy. Unfortunately at that point I veer'd completely off course and when I brought my head up I noticed I was almost at the dock. After cursing myself I yelled I was fine to the guy who asked if I was ok and then turned myself back on course and set back to it. At this point I felt I had been in the water an hour and was getting no where, my heart started racing and I decided to roll over to my back. I looked up at the sky taking deep even breaths trying to calm myself down. Mentally my brain was not on my side at that point as I thought about how I needed to give up, I couldn't do it, I wasn't going to make it. Luckily something clicked and I said to myself "You can't quit, quitters don't get medals and you can't take a finish picture without a medal. You have given up WAY too much to give up now, two weeks before the race"
At the turn around buoy I got kicked in the face pretty hard but luckily my goggles didn't come off and the way back went MUCH more smoothly than the trip out! Sighting on the way back was nearly impossible because of the sun and there was a bit more chop to the water but my confidence had returned and I think that helped. Overall a 49 minute swim which is not terrible!
7 days until the big race!
Monday, April 21, 2014
I apologize this will be LONG- First Triathlon!
April 12, 2014 was a Saturday like no other a day that forever changed my life. The Power of a Woman Triathlon could not have been more aptly named for what happened that day. Our group had over 30 women from all backgrounds and fitness levels participating.
The forecast called for rain all week but that morning when Joanne and I left Brooklyn it was beautiful. We loaded the bikes in the back of her car with a blanket between them to protect them. We arrived to Eisenhower Park about 6am and it was much colder there than it had been in Brooklyn. We were some of the first to arrive and the nerves really set in at that point. Luckily our support system was already there and that really calmed me down. This was supposed to be a dress rehearsal for Eagleman so I could basically learn how to be a triathlete and do transitions. Jacky helped set up my stuff with my bike and after much back and forth with a few volunteers we finally got things situated. Who knew there was a specific direction your bike had to be pointing depending on what side held the X. Well the more you know the better you are I guess.
The really good part about our group is that we know how to party. The event power folks were playing music and of course we all started dancing to get the nerves out. After our big team photo we headed to the pool area and Dereka and I got in two practice laps. It felt great to get some laps down to get the nerves out but when I got out of the pool I was pretty freezing. Jacky recommended I do a couple more laps to keep warm. Then it was time to line up for the National Anthem.
SWIM
I lined up in the 10 minute group and felt nervous but pretty confident. Well confident until the moment they told me, "Once she pushes off the wall you go." I said, "Ok!." then promptly jumped into the pool with my goggles on top of my head. I pulled them down quickly but of course they were filled with water. Now back in January I did the same thing at the Chelsea pool and that time I immediately got out of the pool, freaked out and didn't go back in that day. On Saturday I told myself, get to the other end, you MUST get to the other end. I couldn't see much of anything just light and some shapes but I made it the 50 meters to the side of the pool, quickly fixed the goggles and then got to moving.
The pool set up was awkward as you swam down a length and then under the rope and back the opposite way. I found it hard getting towards the middle as some people were taking rests and it was hard to figure out to navigate, I also felt every time I got into a rhythm it was time to stop and turn. At the end I tried to sprint to the end but ended up boxed in between several other swimmers, I brought my head up and heard someone yell "Keep going KATRINA" I have never put my head down so fast, I had no idea where I was going to keep going but I went back to swimming. When I got out of the pool I didn't feel out of breath and I was really proud but things weren't over, time to run up to transition!
BIKE
I always tell myself just don't fall when getting on and off, I was successful! I did not try to eat or drink on the bike though and I think that was a questionable move. Looking back I also didn't push myself at all for those 6 miles, I was busy thinking I better hold back for the run. Our friends were on the side line as I came back into transition which was a really good energy boost and also pressure not to fall off when I unclipped!
RUN
Coming out for the run all I could hear was Jacky saying "FASTER KATRINA". I felt like I couldn't go any faster, it felt like the longest mile of my life. Once I finally hit that mile marker I sucked down that water took a couple beans and got back to running. It honestly felt I was running backwards at one point. Once I saw that finish line though I started an all out sprint. I realized I had SO much energy left. I definitely did not leave it all out there on the course but for a first time effort I was HAPPY. 52:52, 8th in my age group
AFTER
WOW is pretty much all I can say about our team. The energy, team support and over all excitment really made the experience so much more than just a race. We cheered for every single person and made sure no one was left out on that course. I am so proud and honored to know these women who faced their fears and gave it their all to finish their first triathlon. Many of them mothers who had their children there to witness such a spectacular display of human spirit and determination. Setting such a positive example of not only health and fitness but also the never give up spirit. I can not wait to see how much they continue to grow this year as many will tackle their first open water triathlons.
The forecast called for rain all week but that morning when Joanne and I left Brooklyn it was beautiful. We loaded the bikes in the back of her car with a blanket between them to protect them. We arrived to Eisenhower Park about 6am and it was much colder there than it had been in Brooklyn. We were some of the first to arrive and the nerves really set in at that point. Luckily our support system was already there and that really calmed me down. This was supposed to be a dress rehearsal for Eagleman so I could basically learn how to be a triathlete and do transitions. Jacky helped set up my stuff with my bike and after much back and forth with a few volunteers we finally got things situated. Who knew there was a specific direction your bike had to be pointing depending on what side held the X. Well the more you know the better you are I guess.
The really good part about our group is that we know how to party. The event power folks were playing music and of course we all started dancing to get the nerves out. After our big team photo we headed to the pool area and Dereka and I got in two practice laps. It felt great to get some laps down to get the nerves out but when I got out of the pool I was pretty freezing. Jacky recommended I do a couple more laps to keep warm. Then it was time to line up for the National Anthem.
SWIM
I lined up in the 10 minute group and felt nervous but pretty confident. Well confident until the moment they told me, "Once she pushes off the wall you go." I said, "Ok!." then promptly jumped into the pool with my goggles on top of my head. I pulled them down quickly but of course they were filled with water. Now back in January I did the same thing at the Chelsea pool and that time I immediately got out of the pool, freaked out and didn't go back in that day. On Saturday I told myself, get to the other end, you MUST get to the other end. I couldn't see much of anything just light and some shapes but I made it the 50 meters to the side of the pool, quickly fixed the goggles and then got to moving.
The pool set up was awkward as you swam down a length and then under the rope and back the opposite way. I found it hard getting towards the middle as some people were taking rests and it was hard to figure out to navigate, I also felt every time I got into a rhythm it was time to stop and turn. At the end I tried to sprint to the end but ended up boxed in between several other swimmers, I brought my head up and heard someone yell "Keep going KATRINA" I have never put my head down so fast, I had no idea where I was going to keep going but I went back to swimming. When I got out of the pool I didn't feel out of breath and I was really proud but things weren't over, time to run up to transition!
BIKE
I always tell myself just don't fall when getting on and off, I was successful! I did not try to eat or drink on the bike though and I think that was a questionable move. Looking back I also didn't push myself at all for those 6 miles, I was busy thinking I better hold back for the run. Our friends were on the side line as I came back into transition which was a really good energy boost and also pressure not to fall off when I unclipped!
RUN
Coming out for the run all I could hear was Jacky saying "FASTER KATRINA". I felt like I couldn't go any faster, it felt like the longest mile of my life. Once I finally hit that mile marker I sucked down that water took a couple beans and got back to running. It honestly felt I was running backwards at one point. Once I saw that finish line though I started an all out sprint. I realized I had SO much energy left. I definitely did not leave it all out there on the course but for a first time effort I was HAPPY. 52:52, 8th in my age group
AFTER
WOW is pretty much all I can say about our team. The energy, team support and over all excitment really made the experience so much more than just a race. We cheered for every single person and made sure no one was left out on that course. I am so proud and honored to know these women who faced their fears and gave it their all to finish their first triathlon. Many of them mothers who had their children there to witness such a spectacular display of human spirit and determination. Setting such a positive example of not only health and fitness but also the never give up spirit. I can not wait to see how much they continue to grow this year as many will tackle their first open water triathlons.Sunday, March 23, 2014
Be Kind, Please Rewind
I have a new motto post my duathlon meltdown and it goes back to my new found appreciation for self and also my lovely trainer Rachel knocking some sense into me. I'm going to do a little rewind to get myself some perspective.
"Success is not how far you got but how far you traveled from where you started"
I found that on an instagram page after a chat where Rachel basically told me I need to take a hard look at where I had started and enjoy my accomplishment instead of feeling angry at myself. She is quite wise :) When I saw the quote I immediately texted her to inform her of my new motto and needless to say she wholeheartedly approved.
Now for our rewind, or a throwback in the young kid lingo :)
RUNNING
I started running in June of 2012 and I couldn't make it a quarter mile without stopping and feeling terribly winded. Then as I built up so very slowly I would get about 1.5 miles and I would throw up. In those early weeks/months I knew I was getting better because I could go farther before puking. Looking back I bet the neighbors LOVED me, although I did try and spice up my route so I never puked in front of the same house! My first half marathon which I am sure you have read the race recap for since you are a dutiful blog reader, was in October 2012 and thus I was bitten. A little over a year later I ran my first marathon, that is a pretty good progression if you objectively look at it. I wasn't very fast but I put in the miles.
BIKING
Oh right, biking. Well I got a bike, oh wait I was supposed to do more than that? Crap. So I bought the bike in October and refused to ride it pre-marathon for fear of falling and hurting myself. Then cue winter and I rode it for the first time in February, that's right, February. I have been officially bike riding about a month, I have no clue what right I had to berate myself for not doing an awesome 28 miles on my bike last weekend.
SWIMMING
Well in my 32 years I have not drown but I am most definitely NOT a swimmer. My sister was on the swim team, I managed to propel myself from the end of the diving board to the side of the pool. Don't get me wrong I love water, perhaps I have a healthy respect for the ocean but I do love being in the water. Swimming technically started in November and then took a little hiatus while my foot surgery healed so back at it in January. Not a very long time considering I was starting from pretty much scratch and I tell you learning things as an adult is HARD!
BE KIND
I'm turning over a new leaf!
1) I WILL set up my training peaks and I WILL follow it
2) I WILL start swimming at Riverbank in the mornings to take advantage of the 50 meter pool. Goodbye sleep I was getting, it was nice knowing you
3) I WILL see the positive changes and improvements I have made and recognize them
In January 2013 I started my fitness journey. I didn't want to just be skinny anymore, I wanted to be fit. Plus I had signed up for a crazy number of running races and didn't want to get hurt and I also needed an outlet. My life has changed so much since then and I am truly happier than I have ever been and grateful for everyone who has come into my life as a result. I will leave you with a photo of my birthday present from my amazing friend Shawna.
"Success is not how far you got but how far you traveled from where you started"
I found that on an instagram page after a chat where Rachel basically told me I need to take a hard look at where I had started and enjoy my accomplishment instead of feeling angry at myself. She is quite wise :) When I saw the quote I immediately texted her to inform her of my new motto and needless to say she wholeheartedly approved.
Now for our rewind, or a throwback in the young kid lingo :)
RUNNING
I started running in June of 2012 and I couldn't make it a quarter mile without stopping and feeling terribly winded. Then as I built up so very slowly I would get about 1.5 miles and I would throw up. In those early weeks/months I knew I was getting better because I could go farther before puking. Looking back I bet the neighbors LOVED me, although I did try and spice up my route so I never puked in front of the same house! My first half marathon which I am sure you have read the race recap for since you are a dutiful blog reader, was in October 2012 and thus I was bitten. A little over a year later I ran my first marathon, that is a pretty good progression if you objectively look at it. I wasn't very fast but I put in the miles.
BIKING
Oh right, biking. Well I got a bike, oh wait I was supposed to do more than that? Crap. So I bought the bike in October and refused to ride it pre-marathon for fear of falling and hurting myself. Then cue winter and I rode it for the first time in February, that's right, February. I have been officially bike riding about a month, I have no clue what right I had to berate myself for not doing an awesome 28 miles on my bike last weekend.
SWIMMING
Well in my 32 years I have not drown but I am most definitely NOT a swimmer. My sister was on the swim team, I managed to propel myself from the end of the diving board to the side of the pool. Don't get me wrong I love water, perhaps I have a healthy respect for the ocean but I do love being in the water. Swimming technically started in November and then took a little hiatus while my foot surgery healed so back at it in January. Not a very long time considering I was starting from pretty much scratch and I tell you learning things as an adult is HARD!
BE KIND
I'm turning over a new leaf!
1) I WILL set up my training peaks and I WILL follow it
2) I WILL start swimming at Riverbank in the mornings to take advantage of the 50 meter pool. Goodbye sleep I was getting, it was nice knowing you
3) I WILL see the positive changes and improvements I have made and recognize them
In January 2013 I started my fitness journey. I didn't want to just be skinny anymore, I wanted to be fit. Plus I had signed up for a crazy number of running races and didn't want to get hurt and I also needed an outlet. My life has changed so much since then and I am truly happier than I have ever been and grateful for everyone who has come into my life as a result. I will leave you with a photo of my birthday present from my amazing friend Shawna.
I LOVE IT!!!
Monday, March 17, 2014
Duathlon Recap
Let's have a little refresher. Pre-Saturday I had been outside to ride my bike exactly once, two loops around Central Park with no clips. I had not practice with clips, had not practiced drinking water on the bike, had not practiced eating on the bike and had only done one brick workout.
To say I was extremely nervous going into it would probably be an understatement but I was treating it as training. A learning experience to feel comfortable with the bike, transitions and the atmosphere. We arrived a little before 6am after the train gods were pretty good to us. It was very chilly and I was wearing several layers of clothes. They were not exactly organized and not much was set up when we arrived which add a little bit to my nerves. When we were finally able to get our race numbers and my race number was 26. It almost did not even register at first until I had it in front of me and at that point I felt a little more calm thinking about Packy there with me.
We started late after a brief talk from the USA Triathlon person and the race organizer. My anxiety was pretty high at this point but I was excited, it was a very small group doing our distance, maybe 30 or 35. When he let us go the entire group took off RUNNING, I mean so fast they were all almost out of eye sight very quickly. I tried to stay pace with Jamie for the first several miles and managed to hold on until the first water stop but at that point I realized if I was going make it 7 miles I needed to slow down. I spent the next several miles beating myself up about how slow I was and how my training was terrible and I should be doing better. I looked at my watch at this point and realized that I was still under a 10 minute mile which is VERY good for me, I think I was just too focused on everyone else and not just me. I did have my friend Carl come watch for a lap and also Miss Rose came so those were definitely positive moments when I felt I was doing horribly.
Coming in for the bike transition I was feeling happy to stop running. My right foot actually did a great job in my new shoes so that was a definite positive but my left foot was not feeling great. I got on my bike and managed to clip in and get going, of course the first challenge was Nelly Hill right out of the gate. I felt the first few laps went pretty well although I need to get faster I felt strong and more comfortable with each lap. Then, I needed to get a drink of water, oh dear the horror. I managed to get my water bottle out of the cage, then realized I hadn't moved the spout to open. Boy was that fun trying to open that, the bike was definitely wobbling at this point but I managed to get the water bottle open and get some water. Then comes the fun part, putting it back in the cage. I swear I almost threw the darn thing on the ground!! I finally managed to get in and move on. At this point I saw Anna on almost every single bike lap!
Eating is another story entirely!! I did have chews with me and the one package was actually open already so those were fairly easy to get into my mouth out of the package. The problem came when the second package was not pre-opened so I had to use my teeth but couldn't get a big enough opening. It was VERY difficult to get them out and I know I did not eat enough so that is something extremely important to work on.
8 laps later I was DYING. Ok maybe not dying but certain parts of me were in definite pain :-P It was my longest ride to date, when I spin in my apartment I can kind of sit up on the seat and give myself a break but out on the road that is not really an option. This transition was a little crazy in that I was kind of out of it and totally almost ran out of the transition area still wearing my helmet!
That last 4 mile run was AWFUL, horrible, terrible, oh dear. I thought that first run was tough but this run was probably the toughest 4 miles I have ever done in my life. I struggled, my foot was killing me, I was miserable but I never stopped. At one point I started a very controlled run/walk to make sure I wasn't going to hurt my foot more. Anna came and jogged the last bit with me which helped a lot. They were already taking down the ropes around the bikes and Jamie was guarding our stuff while Mike and Anna and a few volunteers cheered me on and gave me a medal.
Positives:
I did not puke
I did not fall off my bike
I did not die
I did not give up
Opportunities for Improvement
Bike faster
Better eating and drinking
running conditioning is VERY needed
Practice more Bricks
Be nicer to myself, stop beating myself up, focus on the race at hand, commit more to training if I want to be better.
Running: 70 miles
Biking: 16 hours/ 40 miles
Swimming: 11,000 meters
Strength Training: 19 sessions
To say I was extremely nervous going into it would probably be an understatement but I was treating it as training. A learning experience to feel comfortable with the bike, transitions and the atmosphere. We arrived a little before 6am after the train gods were pretty good to us. It was very chilly and I was wearing several layers of clothes. They were not exactly organized and not much was set up when we arrived which add a little bit to my nerves. When we were finally able to get our race numbers and my race number was 26. It almost did not even register at first until I had it in front of me and at that point I felt a little more calm thinking about Packy there with me.
We started late after a brief talk from the USA Triathlon person and the race organizer. My anxiety was pretty high at this point but I was excited, it was a very small group doing our distance, maybe 30 or 35. When he let us go the entire group took off RUNNING, I mean so fast they were all almost out of eye sight very quickly. I tried to stay pace with Jamie for the first several miles and managed to hold on until the first water stop but at that point I realized if I was going make it 7 miles I needed to slow down. I spent the next several miles beating myself up about how slow I was and how my training was terrible and I should be doing better. I looked at my watch at this point and realized that I was still under a 10 minute mile which is VERY good for me, I think I was just too focused on everyone else and not just me. I did have my friend Carl come watch for a lap and also Miss Rose came so those were definitely positive moments when I felt I was doing horribly.
Coming in for the bike transition I was feeling happy to stop running. My right foot actually did a great job in my new shoes so that was a definite positive but my left foot was not feeling great. I got on my bike and managed to clip in and get going, of course the first challenge was Nelly Hill right out of the gate. I felt the first few laps went pretty well although I need to get faster I felt strong and more comfortable with each lap. Then, I needed to get a drink of water, oh dear the horror. I managed to get my water bottle out of the cage, then realized I hadn't moved the spout to open. Boy was that fun trying to open that, the bike was definitely wobbling at this point but I managed to get the water bottle open and get some water. Then comes the fun part, putting it back in the cage. I swear I almost threw the darn thing on the ground!! I finally managed to get in and move on. At this point I saw Anna on almost every single bike lap!
Eating is another story entirely!! I did have chews with me and the one package was actually open already so those were fairly easy to get into my mouth out of the package. The problem came when the second package was not pre-opened so I had to use my teeth but couldn't get a big enough opening. It was VERY difficult to get them out and I know I did not eat enough so that is something extremely important to work on.
8 laps later I was DYING. Ok maybe not dying but certain parts of me were in definite pain :-P It was my longest ride to date, when I spin in my apartment I can kind of sit up on the seat and give myself a break but out on the road that is not really an option. This transition was a little crazy in that I was kind of out of it and totally almost ran out of the transition area still wearing my helmet!
That last 4 mile run was AWFUL, horrible, terrible, oh dear. I thought that first run was tough but this run was probably the toughest 4 miles I have ever done in my life. I struggled, my foot was killing me, I was miserable but I never stopped. At one point I started a very controlled run/walk to make sure I wasn't going to hurt my foot more. Anna came and jogged the last bit with me which helped a lot. They were already taking down the ropes around the bikes and Jamie was guarding our stuff while Mike and Anna and a few volunteers cheered me on and gave me a medal.
Positives:
I did not puke
I did not fall off my bike
I did not die
I did not give up
Opportunities for Improvement
Bike faster
Better eating and drinking
running conditioning is VERY needed
Practice more Bricks
Be nicer to myself, stop beating myself up, focus on the race at hand, commit more to training if I want to be better.
Running: 70 miles
Biking: 16 hours/ 40 miles
Swimming: 11,000 meters
Strength Training: 19 sessions
Saturday, March 1, 2014
March 30 day Challenge- CORE
I have to say that these 30 day challenges are intriguing to me because I do think if you actually commit to the 30 days and make a change to your schedule then you can continue it well past the end of 30 days. For March, we will do a Core Challenge but then we will keep going because I know many of you want to see results and can only commit to short blocks of time in the morning before the kids wake up or at night before they go to bed.
I will include videos from youtube to help show you how to do the exercises and I won't pick anything you can't do easily in your own home.
MARCH- CORE
It is important to understand the difference between core and just abs. You don't just want to focus on the designer or easy to see muscles because your core is extremely important to your every day life.
Exercises:
Bicycle Crunches- This video has different levels, try to increase up to the hardest level by the end of the month.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FGilxCbdz8
Toe Touch Crunch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eazQpjRjy2U
Plank Hold with Knee Crunch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDFNUlJb0jE
Legs Raised Crunch
*I could not find a good video to describe this one so perhaps I should do my own. Lay flat on your back and put your legs straight in the air. You want to push you legs straight up into the air, go as straight as you can not out. Your hips and butt should leave the ground.
SuperMan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6PJMT2y8GQ
March Core Calendar
*Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional nor a trainer so please consult a professional if you have a question.
I will include videos from youtube to help show you how to do the exercises and I won't pick anything you can't do easily in your own home.
MARCH- CORE
It is important to understand the difference between core and just abs. You don't just want to focus on the designer or easy to see muscles because your core is extremely important to your every day life.
Exercises:
Bicycle Crunches- This video has different levels, try to increase up to the hardest level by the end of the month.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FGilxCbdz8
Toe Touch Crunch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eazQpjRjy2U
Plank Hold with Knee Crunch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDFNUlJb0jE
Legs Raised Crunch
*I could not find a good video to describe this one so perhaps I should do my own. Lay flat on your back and put your legs straight in the air. You want to push you legs straight up into the air, go as straight as you can not out. Your hips and butt should leave the ground.
SuperMan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6PJMT2y8GQ
March Core Calendar
*Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional nor a trainer so please consult a professional if you have a question.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Sleep with the fishes
Well hopefully I will not be sleeping with any fishes or seeing any dead bodies that are currently in the East River. In order to raise money for the Never Give Up 26 foundation (http://www.nevergiveup26.com/about---mission.html) I will be swimming from Brooklyn to Manhattan on July 20th.
Yes, me the person who just started swimming in November and who cried when her hands were dirty with cookie dough until her mom washed them will be swimming in the East River. I'm definitely a bit nervous about going in the gross water and also the current but I am looking forward to meeting the challenge. This year is about confronting and moving past fears and this race will be high on that list!
Another fear has been my bike, I love riding it on the trainer where there is absolutely no possibility of falling off and spin class is delightful. Well this weekend I took advantage of the nice weather and my bike and I did two loops of Central Park. Oh wow, getting on and off are my two biggest fears followed closely by the curvy areas of the park. I managed to not fall off and actually had fun going around. The second lap was much better after I got more comfortable with it and wasn't so nervous about going too fast. When I first got on the bike I thought to myself for a second, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING? WHY DID YOU SIGN UP FOR THIS?
Luckily I had the ladies of AWTT (more on that later) and they made me feel comfortable and pushed me to keep going. After a quick couple of minutes the nerves were better and I was feeling pretty excited to be feeling the wind in my face. Although I could do without all the darn tourists just randomly walking in front of me while I am trying to climb harlem hill. It will be a while before I am whipping around the park but it was very successful!
Swimming is well it is swimming. I hate it, with a passion but I signed up for a Tri Stroke Clinic at Asphalt Green and I am really excited about it. I feel like I get so many different opinions and recommendations on this and it gets hard to know what to do but I feel frustrated I'm not getting better faster. I'm hoping some specific guidance will help not only my stroke but also my confidence.
Ok that is enough for now!
Running: 37 miles
Biking: 8 hours/ 12 miles
Swimming: 7000 meters
Strength Training: 13 sessions
Yes, me the person who just started swimming in November and who cried when her hands were dirty with cookie dough until her mom washed them will be swimming in the East River. I'm definitely a bit nervous about going in the gross water and also the current but I am looking forward to meeting the challenge. This year is about confronting and moving past fears and this race will be high on that list!
Another fear has been my bike, I love riding it on the trainer where there is absolutely no possibility of falling off and spin class is delightful. Well this weekend I took advantage of the nice weather and my bike and I did two loops of Central Park. Oh wow, getting on and off are my two biggest fears followed closely by the curvy areas of the park. I managed to not fall off and actually had fun going around. The second lap was much better after I got more comfortable with it and wasn't so nervous about going too fast. When I first got on the bike I thought to myself for a second, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING? WHY DID YOU SIGN UP FOR THIS?
Luckily I had the ladies of AWTT (more on that later) and they made me feel comfortable and pushed me to keep going. After a quick couple of minutes the nerves were better and I was feeling pretty excited to be feeling the wind in my face. Although I could do without all the darn tourists just randomly walking in front of me while I am trying to climb harlem hill. It will be a while before I am whipping around the park but it was very successful!
Swimming is well it is swimming. I hate it, with a passion but I signed up for a Tri Stroke Clinic at Asphalt Green and I am really excited about it. I feel like I get so many different opinions and recommendations on this and it gets hard to know what to do but I feel frustrated I'm not getting better faster. I'm hoping some specific guidance will help not only my stroke but also my confidence.
Ok that is enough for now!
Running: 37 miles
Biking: 8 hours/ 12 miles
Swimming: 7000 meters
Strength Training: 13 sessions
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Surgery recovery Runs
The treadmill my arch nemesis helped me come up with a blog post today. I normally always have a very active ongoing random thought trail going on during runs and today was no different. I wanted to do an hour which should have gotten me a solid 6 miles but my foot had other plans. About 20 minutes in it started to bother me but I wanted to see if I could push through for at least another mile/10 minutes. I knew I was in pain and probably making faces but I wanted to see if it got worse or maintained.
Run: 10 miles
After I hit 3 miles I slowed to a walk to cool down and see if my foot could put up with a few more minutes. It become pretty apparent that it just wasn't going to happen for me today so I gave up and did my stretching. At that point a guy who had been helping a woman use weights came over, he was pretty clearly a trainer. He asked me what injury I was rehabing and I am sure I gave him quite a look because he goes, "Well I could see your face in the mirror when you pushed out that last mile and you looked so determined but in pain." I laughed and explained about my foot surgery and hope to do a half marathon next weekend. At that point the woman on the treadmill next to me goes, "that explains it, I was confused why someone who looked like they were in such good shape wasn't doing an incline or going longer than 30 minutes."
Why do we as women feel the need to always judge each other and put down accomplishments of others. When you are at the gym and see someone working out don't judge their distance or how much weight they are lifting, instead offer some encouragement maybe even just a smile that you know what they are going through. Everyone is doing their own work out, bettering themselves it isn't for you to judge. Don't judge their clothes or shoes or hairstyle, you have no idea their situation and what they had to go through to get to the gym that day. It takes so much energy to be negative and way less to be encouraging and supportive. We as women need to do.better, we should be proud of all the moms out there who take time for themselves, we should encourage the women who are trying to lose weight, we should never put down someone else's accomplishments.
I'll get off my soap box now.
Run: 10 miles
Swim: 2000 meters
Bike:
Strenth training: 4 sessions
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