RumpASS in the BumpASS Training

I just love the name of the triathlon this weekend and can't wait to get the t-shirt!

In honor of the first tri of the season I am training with a *vengeance* this week!

*Vengeance* Training:
Monday -
Plan = Run 30 minutes
Actual = Beer and $.50 Wings - tough training day - not only did they not have Smitticks but they also didn't have Corona Light. I settled for Corona and went with the Honey Pepper wings.

Tuesday
Plan = Swim and Monday's 30 minute run (schedule said we had the day off)
Actual = Swim, wine and pizza. I'll start by saying I love my boss. Not Loovve but I really enjoy working for him. Tuesday he sucker punched me (and the rest of the staff) by announcing his resignation. Dude also had a bad day so we whined and wined (and made excellent homemade chicken pesto pizza).

Wednesday
Plan = Massage (schedule called for a 40 minute run)
Actual = Massage - See, I can stick to a plan. Rejunenations Massage Therapy - best gig in town! Saw Vicki and not only was the massage fantabulous but she also gave me hints and pointers for relieving pain/stiffness in-between massages.

Thursday
Plan = Swim and 40 minute Run (schedule called for a 40 minute bike)
Actual = I'm meeting Dude and some friends at Gordon Biersch for burgers and beer then probably heading for the Team Z Happy Hour.

Friday
Plan = Off
Actual = Again, I'm sticking to the plan. I have to pack for the race and spit-shine Penny for her race debut!

I've said it before, this Ironman training isn't so bad when you skip all the workouts!

PoPT - Power of Positive Thoughts

As I said, I was a “Debbie Downer” for a couple of posts so I went into this weekend’s workouts with a positive attitude. I was going to make the mileage and I was going to have a good time doing it.

Saturday – woke up to cold and rain. Think positive, think positive….
Highlights - Not wussing out for the team run, running with Gina (my perfect Zone 2 partner) and Jackie’s Guinness cake after the run.
Lowlights - Did I mention the cold and rain?!

Headed to the gym with the intentions of lifting and swimming. I couldn’t warm up so I went straight to the sauna and thus ended my lifting plans. From there I headed to the hot tub, swam 2,000 meters, then back to the hot tub to soak/stretch. Really, not a bad way to end a cold/wet run day!

Sunday – 72.9 Mile Ride – Boyce, VA – This is one of my favorite team rides and this week was no exception.
Highlights: Riding in zone 2 with Kate, Lindsay, Mary, + 5 or 6 others (who are usually ahead of me), Team Z picnic, seeing Dude out and about, Marlene the Easter Bunny, and finishing my longest ride to date (and for the record I DID go all the way to the turn around point)!
Lowlights: Launching my water bottle at Lindsay (twice), thinking the final 18 was flat (boy was I wrong), seeing Jason and Lindsay and thinking I was moving in slow motion because they had put over 3 miles on me like that (snap your fingers). Turns out, they did NOT go all the way out to the turn-around point so they cut the ride short 2.9 miles.

Lesson learned on the bike ride: I still need to work on nutrition and drinking. I don’t know where my mind was but for the entire ride my nutrition was 2 PowerAde Endurance drinks, 2 Hammer Gels, 2 individual Shot Blocks, 2 individual Luna Moons, and 2 Reeses Peanut Butter cups. NOT NEAR ENOUGH!!! 5 hours –I took in 1,336 calories (1,080 in liquids) and burned over 4,000 calories. I paid the price that evening – started feeling really bad around 5 – hot, pounding headache, racing heart rate, could feel my pulse throughout my body, couldn’t clench my fists. Apparently it was dehydration (thanks to Dude for figuring that out – I thought I was having a heart attack). Four glasses of ice water later and I felt much better!

Monday – woke up exhausted but not in any pain. Had no energy all day but managed to make it out for $.50 wings and beer with the gang.

Aside from the nutrition (I'm working on it) I deem this week and the end of the 3 week build a success.


Two swims, two runs and one bike and it’s race weekend! I am relaying the Oly on Sat (Bike 24 miles) and doing the Sprint on Sunday 750/12 miles/5K.

TGIRW! Thank God It’s Recovery Week!

Weekend Plans

I've been reading my last few posts and they've kind of been downers. So all negativity aside I am truly jazzed for this weekend. I have had great workouts this week - some pain, but I've pulled through and feel better for it.

Saturday is (just) a 13-mile run. Weather looks dicey but the plan is if it's cold and rainy we will lift and swim first then head out to run (rain is tapering as the day progresses). If it's just raining we will run, brunch, lift, swim.

Sunday is the big one - 70 miles of riding. Then again, I did 68 last week on accident so what's an extra 3 miles. My goals for this ride are (1) good nutrition (2) no breakdowns (emotional or mechanical), (3) push myself to try to improve my cycling, and (4) enjoy the scenery and forecasted sunshine. The team is having a picnic after the ride so I have to make some homemade mac-n-cheese on Saturday night. Mmm!!

The best part of the weekend will be tonight - Dude and I are going on a date. I got my raise this week so we are going out to spend it. We're heading out to Warrenton to a place called Iron Bridge Wine Company. Reservations are a little early, but I do have to get up and run in the morning.

Oh, I also wanted to add two of my favorite pictures from the Cherry Blossom Race. The first is me, Julie, and Sinead - after the 2.5 miles, before the 12.5. The second is Gina and I after the race - I think that fence is holding me up. What a difference 10 miles make!

Big Baby!

I’ve been having a bad day…since Saturday.

Last week was fine, getting over the cold – missed running on Wed and did not do strength. Everything else went well but then Saturday hit.

Saturday - 60 mile bike ride – in an effort to keep this brief I’ll summarize:
Confusion + Wind + Hills + Wrong Turn + More Hills + Riding Alone + Bad Nutrition = Hyperventilating Crying Fit at mile 42 or so. (Actual mileage: 68.3)

Sunday - 15 Mile Run – Planned a 2.5 mile warm up, then the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, then end with a 2.5 mile cool down. The warm up went well, we were actually questioning if the mileage was correct (cool down was not as pleasant and there was no questioning the distance). Met up with Team Z, found Gina (who had my bib) and she and I headed for the start corral. We started with the Green group which was behind where we should have been so there was A LOT of swerving around people. Stuck with Gina through the whole race – which was a good thing – had I been running alone I would have walked most of Hain’s Point. My legs were screaming! I keep comparing my results from last year (1:42:31) to this year (1:42:10) and I’m not real happy. But then I have to remember I didn’t ride 68.3 miles the day before last year’s race. I should just be happy that I ran the whole thing (Thanks Gina)!

Monday – woke up sore. I mean more sore then after the marathon. I realize my nutrition during/after the workouts sucked. Add that I didn’t stretch near enough, I guess I deserve the pain. Headed into work and was immediately land-blasted with “you missed your profit number by $1.1 Million”. NOT a good way to start the day!!! Found the F-Up (and yes, I did miss profit by $1.1M) and had the joy of explaining the error to my boss…before my performance appraisal. Bet he’s wishing he could re-write that one! Finished the day, still incredibly sore, bought some wine and headed to Dude’s. After a couple glasses the whining came out.

Because of the breakdown on Saturday, the less then stellar run on Sunday, the soreness on Monday I’m seriously questioning my ability to finish this stupid Ironman (that’s what I call it now). I relayed my feelings to Dude – I’m slow, I’m doing the workouts and I’m not getting better, Everyone else is better then me, blah, blah, blah.

Melancholy sets in.

And Dude says “you want to know what I think?”
Me (moodily), “What?”
Dude (in all seriousness): “You’re not ready to go pro.”

And that’s when the wine almost came out of my nose. Gotta love Dude!

Big girl panties back on – let’s finish this build week.

Double Digits

HOLY CRAP!!! ONLY 99 MORE DAYS! I feel queasy!

The day I've been dreading for awhile is here. Less then 100 days to go and I feel no more ready for IMS then I did 100 days ago. OK, maybe a little more ready but not even close to where I need to be. I'm still waiting for that day when I wake up and think "I can do this".

On the lighter side, I stole this from Steve in a Speedo:



Hopefully I will do it right! More in line with this:



Bring on the workouts, bring on the distance practices. It's go-time!