It's been a while since I blogged. Ironman is now long done - about 6 months ago and I've set some new goals. I had a rough end to 2014 with work/being sick. So I decided to try - for the month of January to get some sort of workout in everyday. So that could be a swim, a spin, a run or a crossfit workout. The intensity of the workouts varies (as it should) and sometimes it's just an easy recovery type spin/swim/run (crossfit is NEVER easy).
It is now February 3rd 2015 and as of today I have kept my streak going - 34 days in a row with at least some sort of workout. See once I got to January 31st - I realized that not only am I seeing HUGE fitness gains (and quickly) I'm also really enjoying the consistency and the feeling of getting yet another workout done daily. I know that recovery is important, and that is why day's like yesterday I did a 45 min spin nice and easy (didn't even let myself get into my big chain ring) and while todays swim was a tough one (more on that in a bit) my planned run for this evening is going to be a nice easy pace on the treadmill. I'm not a big fan of this winter crap, so I maintain my gym membership at good life so that I can have access to the treadmills and from time to time a class (just to change up the routine) Honestly I'm pretty sure that once April/May came around I didn't even step foot in the gym last year as I was outside training but I'm sure glad I have the treadmill now, snowstorms, and ice and frigid temps - no thanks I'll run inside!!!!
So as far as today goes I was up at 5am (Stupid snowplows were LOUD) and at the pool for the 6:15am start time. The workout was:
200 swim
4x 75 ki/dr/pull
200 swim
4x75 1. E/E/F 2. E/F/E 3. F/E/E 4. Build
3 x ( 6x 100 pace times decrease each set) 1.1:40
(100 Breathing 3/5/7 2. 1:35
(50 Non Free) 3.1:30
I'll be honest - I didn't feel great and the first round all my hundreds were done on 1:40 but I was holding about 1:30 so I got 10 seconds rest but it didn't feel 'easy'. I was a little concerned about making the 6x100 on 1:30 because that means sustaining a 1:25 pace and only get 5 seconds before starting up again. But I managed. It was tough and I was pretty much done... but not a bad place to be in February. Lots of room for improvement and ideally I'd like to be able to hold under 1:30 pace for my half ironman race (likely the first one with be Syracuse in June) Run times are a little all over the place depending if I'm running outside, on a treadmill or with snowshoes strapped to my feet (wow does that ever change things) I find for some reason a pace that feels easy outside feels a whole lot harder on the treadmill.. Not sure what the deal is with that.
I've also decided to start eating cleaner. Now lets get one thing clear. I love my poutine - and I won't cut it out entirely - we all need a treat from time to time. But I'm going to really make an effort to stay away from gluten (naturally - as in eating foods that just don't have gluten not necessarily the chemically rich crap that calls itself gluten free).
Since I'm not working today the plan at this point is to have a quick nap then head to the gym for a run later and if I'm feeling ok - to a crossfit class in the evening. The run is a must - crossfit will be a bonus if I make it :)
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
I.AM.AN.IRONMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well - it's official I am now, and forever more an Ironman! August 17th, 2014 at 6:57am the horn went for my wave officially starting my Ironman race day journey. It's funny, the amount of work that goes into getting ready for an Ironman, you sign up a year in advance, train hard, swim, bike and run crazy distances on a regular basis and then all of a sudden, BANG you are off!
Rewind a bit, we got to Tremblant on the Thursday before the race. The town was already buzzing with excitement. Everyone walking around in Ironman gear (clearly drinking the kook-aid) sporting M-dot tattoo's and looking insanely fit. The IM crew in Tremblant do such an amazing job - Everywhere you look is Ironman. And the finish line, already set up and ready to hopefully welcome us in on Sunday at some point. Try to stay calm in that atmosphere, it's not easy. Luckily I had the absolute BEST support crew ever and that helped a lot.
We checked in on the Thursday, minimal line very relaxed and quick thanks to the AMAZING volunteers. We got our Backpacks, wristbands and of course all the bag's required for race day. This being my first Ironman it was all a little daunting but honestly - it was pretty simple. Put what you need at each transition point (Swim-bike, bike to run) in the right coloured bag, then anything you might want halfway into those disciplines into another (special needs) bag. We had to drop the bags off by 4pm on Saturday as well as our bikes. Again, Trent and I went earlier to do this and had almost no lines to contend with. Oh and the volunteers at every single step of the process - AMAZING. When I went to bring my bike to it's pre-assigned spot a lovely volunteer actually took my bike for me and brought me (and my bike) to where it needed to be. She was super nice! Even took a picture of me, with my bike, in transition (yes - I am a nerd in case you are wondering).
Leading up to race day, really just tried to stay calm - alcohol helped a bit - and keep my mind from obsessing, got a massage, some ART, bought ridiculously overpriced gear and then before I knew it, it's Sunday morning and I'm standing on the beach 'ready' to go.
The gun went off and I bolted into the water. I got into some clear water pretty quick and ended up at the front of my wave with some of the quicker swimmers. The clear water didn't last. With waves starting only 3 min apart before the second bouy we had caught up to the 50+ AG men who started ahead of us. And from that point on I was battered, swum into sideways (I swim straight, so every time this happens I think 'you know you'd swim a lot faster if you learn to swim straight') and just beat up in general. I really think they need to get a better system. Maybe get the waves to start further apart or something. Anyhow, I kept plugging along, I'm not prone to panic, and I do give as good as I get - just a tip, not a good idea to grab onto me in the swim. About 5 bouys before the turn I realized that it had gotten super choppy. But for me that wasn't much of an issue, slowed me down a bit I'm sure but everyone had the same conditions to contend with so it wasn't that big a deal. I'm pretty sure by the time all was said and done in the swim I had caught at least one person from every wave. In some ways yes that is fun, but in others it sucks. So come out of the water after what felt like a pretty long swim (it wasn't) in 1:03. I was pretty happy as that was very close to my 1 hour goal for the swim. The crowd at the swim finish was LOUD. They were awesome, the wetsuit strippers were great and efficient and even better my sister and cousin and a few friends were manning the water station at the swim exit so they were super excited to see me and cheered really loud.
So off to the change tent I went, saw a few people along the way, but man, that run up to transition is just packed with people cheering. Talk about feeling like a rock star. Saw my Dad, as well as Barrie Shepley. Got into the change tent, and fairly quickly was off to get my bike and start on my 180k trek. It was chilly when I got on the bike, I had arm warmers in my pocket but never did put them on. There were definitely points where I wish I had, but at the same time I didn't feel cold enough to actually stop and fiddle with them. I managed to stay on track with my nutrition plan and got into a groove fairly quick. That first loop (of 2) was a little depressing, seeing the signs for the second loop milage and knowing I still had a long way to go before I got there. But the roads are incredibly well maintained and smooth and I had a great ride. The section up Duplissee (Lac Superior) wasn't too bad but I tried to spin up it as much as I could knowing it would be nasty the second time around. As I got there I saw Lisa Bentley and her husband Dave. It was amazing, having Lisa Bentley, Ironman royalty cheering ME on during my first Ironman. It is a moment I will never forget thats for sure (got a few cheers from her and Dave Cracknell as well throughout the day) kinda surreal. So the first loop actually did go by relatively fast, I was actually at the 90k marker in 3:24, which was pretty awesome given my split at the 70.3 in June at Tremblant was 3:28. What made it even more impressive (at least to me) was that I had stopped twice to use the bathroom in the first loop. I knew I was on track for a good ride so at that point I just kept plugging away. Heading back out on 117 we had a pretty nasty headwind on the way to the turn around, which is also primarily uphill. So that sucked but once I made that turn it was a tailwind and mostly downhill (except for the one fairly nasty climb) coming back. I felt great and really got through the rest of the ride without incident. The climb up Duplissee the second time around was just as nasty as I expected, but it is only about 6-7k worth of nasty (and its not consistent nasty, just nasty in spots then a bit of a rest, then nasty again) and once again before I knew it I was flying downhill toward the end of the bike. Coming back into town was pretty awesome as there were tons of people cheering and finally getting off my bike felt REALLY good (although that was short-lived once I remembered I still had a MARATHON to do) I handed my bike to the bike catchers (that was also awesome) and had a bit of a brain fart thinking I had to go to where my bike was racked. Luckily the volunteers quickly guided me back on track "Follow the red carpet" duh... I guess after a 4k swim, and 180k bike the brain isn't working as well as it should. The great thing was just as I turned the corner to head into the change tent my cheering section was out in full force with awesome signs and boy were they ever LOUD! Definitely gave me the boost I needed heading out to run a marathon. I changed shoes quickly and off to the run course I went.
Just as I made my way out of town the rain started to come down. Honestly it was warm enough that I didn't mind. In fact I was grateful to be off the bike before the rain came, since I knew there were lots of others still finishing up their bike rides when the rain hit.
So this is where things started to suck just a little bit. I started to jog lightly to get my legs under me but very early into the run my glut started to seize up on me. It literally stopped me in my tracks, and forced me to walk. Luckily my long legs mean I walk fairly quickly so while I kept trying to run, each time my glut reminded me it was angry and back to walking I went. But there were quite a few people out on the course that I ended up walking with and chatting with so that made the time go by quickly. I just kept up my power walk and ticked away the kilometres. Actually at one point a girl I had seen and talked to a few times earlier on the bike came by and actually couldn't keep up with me walking as my walking pace was quite quick. She ended up jogging past me but later on in the run I ended up going by her again and did in fact finish ahead of her :) As I got back into town at the halfway point I saw my fan club again and they gave me a much needed boost. Coming through the shute in town (you pass right by the finish on your way out to lap 2) was awesome. So many people yelling and cheering, it's just amazing. The second loop actually went by pretty quick. There is a fairly long out and back section on a trail and that part got a little lonely, especially as the sun set and it got dark out. But the out and back sections allow you to see and cheer on your fellow competitors and I really enjoyed that part. Even saw a few C3 friends out there which really helped boost my spirits. The aid stations were always stocked and the volunteers were great. I met a lot of people and chatted while I walked (still kept up my brisk power walk pace of course). It was awesome. Before I knew it I was heading back into town and up into the finishing shute for real this time. I saw my dad just before I got into town, which was great. At that point the finishing shute became somewhat magical I was actually able to run and honestly felt zero pain coming down towards the finish line (of course it all came screaming back once I stopped after the finish line). I got VERY lucky in that there wasn't anyone directly in front or behind me so I had the final stretch to the finish line all to myself. It was amazing, so many people cheering and high fiving - it was UNREAL. I loved every second of that last 500m or so. Then before I knew it the finish line was in front of me and Mike Rielly was calling me an Ironman - talk about a dream come true!!!!
As a first time Ironman I could not have asked for a better experience. I carried a picture of my mom with me all day so while she couldn't physically be there to greet me at the finish line, I 100% believe she was with me through every single step of my Ironman journey. I was able to get off the bike before any rain started, and honestly despite having to walk most of the run because of an injury I ended up having an amazing day. I finished my Ironman Journey in 14:40 and I couldn't be happier. I am very thankful to my coach Sean Bechtal, to Barrie Shepley for all his help and for being there cheering with the lovely Caron Shepley. I'm also incredibly thankful to my dad, my sister, my cousin and my friends who all came up to be my sherpa's and biggest cheerleaders. And of course my training buddies especially Kim Nelson and Trent Dilkie - I could not have done it without you guys.
Rewind a bit, we got to Tremblant on the Thursday before the race. The town was already buzzing with excitement. Everyone walking around in Ironman gear (clearly drinking the kook-aid) sporting M-dot tattoo's and looking insanely fit. The IM crew in Tremblant do such an amazing job - Everywhere you look is Ironman. And the finish line, already set up and ready to hopefully welcome us in on Sunday at some point. Try to stay calm in that atmosphere, it's not easy. Luckily I had the absolute BEST support crew ever and that helped a lot.
We checked in on the Thursday, minimal line very relaxed and quick thanks to the AMAZING volunteers. We got our Backpacks, wristbands and of course all the bag's required for race day. This being my first Ironman it was all a little daunting but honestly - it was pretty simple. Put what you need at each transition point (Swim-bike, bike to run) in the right coloured bag, then anything you might want halfway into those disciplines into another (special needs) bag. We had to drop the bags off by 4pm on Saturday as well as our bikes. Again, Trent and I went earlier to do this and had almost no lines to contend with. Oh and the volunteers at every single step of the process - AMAZING. When I went to bring my bike to it's pre-assigned spot a lovely volunteer actually took my bike for me and brought me (and my bike) to where it needed to be. She was super nice! Even took a picture of me, with my bike, in transition (yes - I am a nerd in case you are wondering).
Leading up to race day, really just tried to stay calm - alcohol helped a bit - and keep my mind from obsessing, got a massage, some ART, bought ridiculously overpriced gear and then before I knew it, it's Sunday morning and I'm standing on the beach 'ready' to go.
The gun went off and I bolted into the water. I got into some clear water pretty quick and ended up at the front of my wave with some of the quicker swimmers. The clear water didn't last. With waves starting only 3 min apart before the second bouy we had caught up to the 50+ AG men who started ahead of us. And from that point on I was battered, swum into sideways (I swim straight, so every time this happens I think 'you know you'd swim a lot faster if you learn to swim straight') and just beat up in general. I really think they need to get a better system. Maybe get the waves to start further apart or something. Anyhow, I kept plugging along, I'm not prone to panic, and I do give as good as I get - just a tip, not a good idea to grab onto me in the swim. About 5 bouys before the turn I realized that it had gotten super choppy. But for me that wasn't much of an issue, slowed me down a bit I'm sure but everyone had the same conditions to contend with so it wasn't that big a deal. I'm pretty sure by the time all was said and done in the swim I had caught at least one person from every wave. In some ways yes that is fun, but in others it sucks. So come out of the water after what felt like a pretty long swim (it wasn't) in 1:03. I was pretty happy as that was very close to my 1 hour goal for the swim. The crowd at the swim finish was LOUD. They were awesome, the wetsuit strippers were great and efficient and even better my sister and cousin and a few friends were manning the water station at the swim exit so they were super excited to see me and cheered really loud.
So off to the change tent I went, saw a few people along the way, but man, that run up to transition is just packed with people cheering. Talk about feeling like a rock star. Saw my Dad, as well as Barrie Shepley. Got into the change tent, and fairly quickly was off to get my bike and start on my 180k trek. It was chilly when I got on the bike, I had arm warmers in my pocket but never did put them on. There were definitely points where I wish I had, but at the same time I didn't feel cold enough to actually stop and fiddle with them. I managed to stay on track with my nutrition plan and got into a groove fairly quick. That first loop (of 2) was a little depressing, seeing the signs for the second loop milage and knowing I still had a long way to go before I got there. But the roads are incredibly well maintained and smooth and I had a great ride. The section up Duplissee (Lac Superior) wasn't too bad but I tried to spin up it as much as I could knowing it would be nasty the second time around. As I got there I saw Lisa Bentley and her husband Dave. It was amazing, having Lisa Bentley, Ironman royalty cheering ME on during my first Ironman. It is a moment I will never forget thats for sure (got a few cheers from her and Dave Cracknell as well throughout the day) kinda surreal. So the first loop actually did go by relatively fast, I was actually at the 90k marker in 3:24, which was pretty awesome given my split at the 70.3 in June at Tremblant was 3:28. What made it even more impressive (at least to me) was that I had stopped twice to use the bathroom in the first loop. I knew I was on track for a good ride so at that point I just kept plugging away. Heading back out on 117 we had a pretty nasty headwind on the way to the turn around, which is also primarily uphill. So that sucked but once I made that turn it was a tailwind and mostly downhill (except for the one fairly nasty climb) coming back. I felt great and really got through the rest of the ride without incident. The climb up Duplissee the second time around was just as nasty as I expected, but it is only about 6-7k worth of nasty (and its not consistent nasty, just nasty in spots then a bit of a rest, then nasty again) and once again before I knew it I was flying downhill toward the end of the bike. Coming back into town was pretty awesome as there were tons of people cheering and finally getting off my bike felt REALLY good (although that was short-lived once I remembered I still had a MARATHON to do) I handed my bike to the bike catchers (that was also awesome) and had a bit of a brain fart thinking I had to go to where my bike was racked. Luckily the volunteers quickly guided me back on track "Follow the red carpet" duh... I guess after a 4k swim, and 180k bike the brain isn't working as well as it should. The great thing was just as I turned the corner to head into the change tent my cheering section was out in full force with awesome signs and boy were they ever LOUD! Definitely gave me the boost I needed heading out to run a marathon. I changed shoes quickly and off to the run course I went.
Just as I made my way out of town the rain started to come down. Honestly it was warm enough that I didn't mind. In fact I was grateful to be off the bike before the rain came, since I knew there were lots of others still finishing up their bike rides when the rain hit.
So this is where things started to suck just a little bit. I started to jog lightly to get my legs under me but very early into the run my glut started to seize up on me. It literally stopped me in my tracks, and forced me to walk. Luckily my long legs mean I walk fairly quickly so while I kept trying to run, each time my glut reminded me it was angry and back to walking I went. But there were quite a few people out on the course that I ended up walking with and chatting with so that made the time go by quickly. I just kept up my power walk and ticked away the kilometres. Actually at one point a girl I had seen and talked to a few times earlier on the bike came by and actually couldn't keep up with me walking as my walking pace was quite quick. She ended up jogging past me but later on in the run I ended up going by her again and did in fact finish ahead of her :) As I got back into town at the halfway point I saw my fan club again and they gave me a much needed boost. Coming through the shute in town (you pass right by the finish on your way out to lap 2) was awesome. So many people yelling and cheering, it's just amazing. The second loop actually went by pretty quick. There is a fairly long out and back section on a trail and that part got a little lonely, especially as the sun set and it got dark out. But the out and back sections allow you to see and cheer on your fellow competitors and I really enjoyed that part. Even saw a few C3 friends out there which really helped boost my spirits. The aid stations were always stocked and the volunteers were great. I met a lot of people and chatted while I walked (still kept up my brisk power walk pace of course). It was awesome. Before I knew it I was heading back into town and up into the finishing shute for real this time. I saw my dad just before I got into town, which was great. At that point the finishing shute became somewhat magical I was actually able to run and honestly felt zero pain coming down towards the finish line (of course it all came screaming back once I stopped after the finish line). I got VERY lucky in that there wasn't anyone directly in front or behind me so I had the final stretch to the finish line all to myself. It was amazing, so many people cheering and high fiving - it was UNREAL. I loved every second of that last 500m or so. Then before I knew it the finish line was in front of me and Mike Rielly was calling me an Ironman - talk about a dream come true!!!!
As a first time Ironman I could not have asked for a better experience. I carried a picture of my mom with me all day so while she couldn't physically be there to greet me at the finish line, I 100% believe she was with me through every single step of my Ironman journey. I was able to get off the bike before any rain started, and honestly despite having to walk most of the run because of an injury I ended up having an amazing day. I finished my Ironman Journey in 14:40 and I couldn't be happier. I am very thankful to my coach Sean Bechtal, to Barrie Shepley for all his help and for being there cheering with the lovely Caron Shepley. I'm also incredibly thankful to my dad, my sister, my cousin and my friends who all came up to be my sherpa's and biggest cheerleaders. And of course my training buddies especially Kim Nelson and Trent Dilkie - I could not have done it without you guys.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Time is flying...
HOLY CRAP… in 2.5 weeks I'll be in Mont Tremblant for Ironman. How did the time go by so quickly!
After a pretty tough weekend training wise (mentally), I knew I had to get back at it and quick to build back my confidence leading into the biggest race of my life (like literally, the longest race I've ever done). Yesterday I got out and went for a 60k ride with a good training buddy, stopped at the bake shop in Erin and got some good hill training in along the way. I got home feeling pretty good, and set about changing my bike tires. I had a brand new pair sitting waiting for about this time - so got that done, and boy do they ever look nice.
Then today I got up and met Trent (one of the best training buddy's EVER) - to ride long. We started in Caledon East, head out along old base line up towards Erin. There is a stretch that is about 2.5k from Mclaughlin to Creditview (past the badlands) that is ALL uphill. Actually very similar terrain as the Lac Superior section at Mont Tremblant. I got up that quite well today - and felt really strong to boot. We continued on getting only slightly lost up near Orangeville - and then head into Hockley. As we were riding up Hwy 10 (thankfully a fairly short ride as it's a busy road) the rain starting coming down big time! We were lucky and able to stop at a gas station for shelter, and thankfully in about 15min the rain eased up and we were on our way to the Hockley general store. At this point there had been a lot of hills so from hwy 10 basically to the general store was a nice long swooping downhill. It was lovely. You work so freaking hard to get up those hills so a nice downhill section is just such a wonderful.
Trent and I stopped at the Hockley general store and had the best Bacon Grilled Cheese EVER! Seriously it was incredible. Just what we needed about 80km into the ride. At this point Caron Shepley called. She knew we were out riding and I guess there was a nasty storm where she was, so she thought we might need a rescue. Luckily we really didn't get caught in too much of a storm - actually the sun was shining at this point. We enjoyed our 'lunch' and hit the road again. There is a fairly steep climb out of hockley, and today I hit it hard and road strong up it. Really today's ride was a pretty good one for me. It was just the confidence boost I needed this close to the big day.
I ran out of my infinit nutrition stuff, so while I wait for my order, went to sport chek and got some bounce bars, they are actually really good and totally did the job for me today. The other thing I've noticed is lately I'm really enjoying coffee again… Plus today we were a little chilled by the time we got to hockley so it helped warm me up!
This weekend is likely the last big volume weekend and then it'll be taper time… HOLY CRAP!!!!
After a pretty tough weekend training wise (mentally), I knew I had to get back at it and quick to build back my confidence leading into the biggest race of my life (like literally, the longest race I've ever done). Yesterday I got out and went for a 60k ride with a good training buddy, stopped at the bake shop in Erin and got some good hill training in along the way. I got home feeling pretty good, and set about changing my bike tires. I had a brand new pair sitting waiting for about this time - so got that done, and boy do they ever look nice.
Then today I got up and met Trent (one of the best training buddy's EVER) - to ride long. We started in Caledon East, head out along old base line up towards Erin. There is a stretch that is about 2.5k from Mclaughlin to Creditview (past the badlands) that is ALL uphill. Actually very similar terrain as the Lac Superior section at Mont Tremblant. I got up that quite well today - and felt really strong to boot. We continued on getting only slightly lost up near Orangeville - and then head into Hockley. As we were riding up Hwy 10 (thankfully a fairly short ride as it's a busy road) the rain starting coming down big time! We were lucky and able to stop at a gas station for shelter, and thankfully in about 15min the rain eased up and we were on our way to the Hockley general store. At this point there had been a lot of hills so from hwy 10 basically to the general store was a nice long swooping downhill. It was lovely. You work so freaking hard to get up those hills so a nice downhill section is just such a wonderful.
Trent and I stopped at the Hockley general store and had the best Bacon Grilled Cheese EVER! Seriously it was incredible. Just what we needed about 80km into the ride. At this point Caron Shepley called. She knew we were out riding and I guess there was a nasty storm where she was, so she thought we might need a rescue. Luckily we really didn't get caught in too much of a storm - actually the sun was shining at this point. We enjoyed our 'lunch' and hit the road again. There is a fairly steep climb out of hockley, and today I hit it hard and road strong up it. Really today's ride was a pretty good one for me. It was just the confidence boost I needed this close to the big day.
I ran out of my infinit nutrition stuff, so while I wait for my order, went to sport chek and got some bounce bars, they are actually really good and totally did the job for me today. The other thing I've noticed is lately I'm really enjoying coffee again… Plus today we were a little chilled by the time we got to hockley so it helped warm me up!
This weekend is likely the last big volume weekend and then it'll be taper time… HOLY CRAP!!!!
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Someday's are better then others...
So it's been a while since my last post. Lots going on really. I was off to Europe for a week, which was an absolutely unreal experience, but it did cut in to Ironman training since I really didn't have a chance to train much over there. I did walk a LOT - and I got a short 30 min run done. But that was about it. Now I'm back home and back at it.
Yesterday (Saturday) I had planned on a nice long bike ride. So I set off from home to ride up to Inglewood (about 25k) to meet up with my C3 teammates. Unfortunately with a lot away for races and training camps, there weren't a lot of people out. Worse, nobody who was my speed was there either. Everyone took off and there I was at the back of the pack with just one other person behind me. She struggled up the first few hills so I hung back to wait for her so that we could ride together. Well that was my first mistake. Turns out, once she got warmed up and feeling good waiting for me wasn't in the game plan at all and she left me in her dust pretty quick. Not going to lie I was seriously annoyed at that move. I didn't have to wait for her early in the ride but I did, because in my mind its much more fun to ride with people than alone. I guess she didn't feel the same way. I really struggled mentally with the ride, but on the plus side I did manage to get up the ski hill without getting off my bike and walking (it's a tough climb). I got myself back to the spirit tree, where I stopped in for a coffee and a cheese bun. I was hungry and tired and frustrated and the stop was just what I needed to keep going for the rest of the 20+ km ride home. All said and done it was a little shorter then planned at 105km but it was a 4.5 hour mostly solo ride and I got it done. I didn't feel great, but I figure at this point every little bit counts. Took the rest of the day to rest and eat and recover. I'm not going to lie I was feeling pretty down about the ride. It's hard mentally when you can't keep up and have to ride alone as a result. I mean seriously I thought going to a team ride would give me people to ride with, but wow was I ever wrong. I got home, and ended up talking to Shanta as I was really down after the bad training day. Thankfully she was awesome, and really reassured me that I've done a lot of work already and that I will be fine come race day. It really helps when everyone is reassuring you that everything will be fine.
This morning (Sunday) I head out the door early for a 24k run. I started from home and met Andrea at the running room (11k) and we did 13k together. I ran most of the 11k to get to the Running room but struggled a lot in the second part of my run. We ended up walking quite a bit, but I'm trying to remind myself it's all time on my feet and that it does matter. It was hot, and slow, but overall I'm glad I got the distance done. I think it's important to remember that not every training session can be awesome, and I've had my share of those this year. I'm getting complimented consistently about how much my biking has improved, and even though I don't see that quite yet, I'm sure people aren't lying about it :)
Another couple weeks of training and then taper and race time. I just can't believe the race is 3 weeks away. That is just incredible to me how much time has flown by.
Race day will be here before I know what's hit me… yikes… better get back at it tomorrow.
Yesterday (Saturday) I had planned on a nice long bike ride. So I set off from home to ride up to Inglewood (about 25k) to meet up with my C3 teammates. Unfortunately with a lot away for races and training camps, there weren't a lot of people out. Worse, nobody who was my speed was there either. Everyone took off and there I was at the back of the pack with just one other person behind me. She struggled up the first few hills so I hung back to wait for her so that we could ride together. Well that was my first mistake. Turns out, once she got warmed up and feeling good waiting for me wasn't in the game plan at all and she left me in her dust pretty quick. Not going to lie I was seriously annoyed at that move. I didn't have to wait for her early in the ride but I did, because in my mind its much more fun to ride with people than alone. I guess she didn't feel the same way. I really struggled mentally with the ride, but on the plus side I did manage to get up the ski hill without getting off my bike and walking (it's a tough climb). I got myself back to the spirit tree, where I stopped in for a coffee and a cheese bun. I was hungry and tired and frustrated and the stop was just what I needed to keep going for the rest of the 20+ km ride home. All said and done it was a little shorter then planned at 105km but it was a 4.5 hour mostly solo ride and I got it done. I didn't feel great, but I figure at this point every little bit counts. Took the rest of the day to rest and eat and recover. I'm not going to lie I was feeling pretty down about the ride. It's hard mentally when you can't keep up and have to ride alone as a result. I mean seriously I thought going to a team ride would give me people to ride with, but wow was I ever wrong. I got home, and ended up talking to Shanta as I was really down after the bad training day. Thankfully she was awesome, and really reassured me that I've done a lot of work already and that I will be fine come race day. It really helps when everyone is reassuring you that everything will be fine.
This morning (Sunday) I head out the door early for a 24k run. I started from home and met Andrea at the running room (11k) and we did 13k together. I ran most of the 11k to get to the Running room but struggled a lot in the second part of my run. We ended up walking quite a bit, but I'm trying to remind myself it's all time on my feet and that it does matter. It was hot, and slow, but overall I'm glad I got the distance done. I think it's important to remember that not every training session can be awesome, and I've had my share of those this year. I'm getting complimented consistently about how much my biking has improved, and even though I don't see that quite yet, I'm sure people aren't lying about it :)
Another couple weeks of training and then taper and race time. I just can't believe the race is 3 weeks away. That is just incredible to me how much time has flown by.
Race day will be here before I know what's hit me… yikes… better get back at it tomorrow.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Long riding...
Well - I have been slacking in the posts but I've been pretty consistent with training. Yesterday I rode from my house to Cafe Domestique in Dundas, ON. The route was weird as it was longer getting to Cafe Domestique than coming home. There were some crazy hills to climb and even some crazy decants that had me on my brakes the whole time. Once we got to our "halfway" point - we had a grilled cheese with bacon *super yum* and then back out on the road. I knew there was a big climb coming up (Snake Rd) since it was one that we had come down on our way out. In my head it was a long and fairly steep climb, so I was a little worried about it. Funny enough when we got to it, it ended up not being nearly as steep as I thought and I had absolutely no problems getting up. Thankfully. After that there was a lot less climbing, so that was a big relief. We did encounter a nasty bit of torn up road and since we didn't know the area well we ended up walking our bikes through it which sucked but was better then messing up our bikes. All said and done it was a 168km bike ride. Wow was it long - by the end I was getting a little grumpy and just wanted to be done. But I will say my legs felt strong the whole time. I got up a lot of nasty climbs and was just generally happy to get that kind of distance under my belt. After the run I went for a 10 min run and while my legs felt funny I was running at a pretty good clip. Tremblant is so daunting. To think I have to ride another 12k and then run a marathon. YOWZA!!!! And it's crazy how fast IMMT is coming!
I was pretty bad today though. I was supposed to do a long run, but my running buddies bailed because the weather sucked (ok it was pouring rain and thunders storming) so I have basically done nothing all day. But my allergies have been driving me nuts and my legs are DONE.
I think the plan is to get up and go for a run tomorrow. Gotta get something done that is for sure! But I'm happy so far with my training, could be better but could be worse I think.
I'm sure when the day comes I'll be ready and thats what matters.
I was pretty bad today though. I was supposed to do a long run, but my running buddies bailed because the weather sucked (ok it was pouring rain and thunders storming) so I have basically done nothing all day. But my allergies have been driving me nuts and my legs are DONE.
I think the plan is to get up and go for a run tomorrow. Gotta get something done that is for sure! But I'm happy so far with my training, could be better but could be worse I think.
I'm sure when the day comes I'll be ready and thats what matters.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Wednesday ride, poutine, lovely garages and freak storms
Ok - so yesterday Trent and I hit the road for a planned 120-130k ride. Started off well - we were heading up the Gore road towards Hockley Valley and it actually seemed substantially easier than I remember it being a few months ago (YAY) 30k flew by really quick and we stopped at the general store for a drink and a gluten free cookie. Then back on the bikes and we head north past Hwy 89 and into a small town that I cannot actually remember the name of. It was small - we were in and out of there quickly. We stopped to figure out where we wanted to go next and Trent asked if I was interested in a big hill - I quickly shot that idea down knowing full well that we had Mount UnPleasant in the plans for later in the ride. Off we went again starting to head back towards home (at this point we were at about 45k I think. Around 60k we stopped for poutine at a chip stand. It was awesome - NY Fries not even close! Have to laugh at the insanity of riding 60k and stoping for poutine :)
So as we are sitting there eating, the clouds were looking super ominous. A storm was definitely on the way but we were hoping that it wouldn't be too bad. Sadly - that was not the case. As we started to ride back south the sky literally opened up and we were pelted hard with hail, and rain and some of the craziest wind I've ever experienced. It was actually terrifying. The wind was literally blowing me across the road and making it really hard to stay in control of my bike. At one point a truck came and all I could do was pray that the wind didn't blow me into it's path (it didn't). Looking around there was literally NO place to take shelter - we were literally in the middle of nowhere… some houses and some farms but no shelter.
Thankfully a lovely man saw us riding and offered us shelter in his garage. We sat there, called Caron for a rescue pick up and hung out with the lovely family who's garage we were seeking refuge in. It was actually cool - they must have thought we were nuts with our fancy bikes having already gone 60k and still with another 50 or 60 to go… turns out they are chicken farmers. One of their biggest clients is Swiss Chalet. Pretty cool actually. It was quite the adventure.
I'm glad we got 60k in before the storm - but a little annoyed that we couldn't get the long ride done. Just means I'll have to make sure I ride long on Saturday. Shouldn't be a problem…
Guess you just never know what you'll experience on the day.
So as we are sitting there eating, the clouds were looking super ominous. A storm was definitely on the way but we were hoping that it wouldn't be too bad. Sadly - that was not the case. As we started to ride back south the sky literally opened up and we were pelted hard with hail, and rain and some of the craziest wind I've ever experienced. It was actually terrifying. The wind was literally blowing me across the road and making it really hard to stay in control of my bike. At one point a truck came and all I could do was pray that the wind didn't blow me into it's path (it didn't). Looking around there was literally NO place to take shelter - we were literally in the middle of nowhere… some houses and some farms but no shelter.
Thankfully a lovely man saw us riding and offered us shelter in his garage. We sat there, called Caron for a rescue pick up and hung out with the lovely family who's garage we were seeking refuge in. It was actually cool - they must have thought we were nuts with our fancy bikes having already gone 60k and still with another 50 or 60 to go… turns out they are chicken farmers. One of their biggest clients is Swiss Chalet. Pretty cool actually. It was quite the adventure.
I'm glad we got 60k in before the storm - but a little annoyed that we couldn't get the long ride done. Just means I'll have to make sure I ride long on Saturday. Shouldn't be a problem…
Guess you just never know what you'll experience on the day.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Recovery time...
So this week is going to be focused on recovering from the 70.3 race on Sunday. Yesterday I did a 2k swim and a 60 min spin on the trainer. Today I just did a 1k open water swim at the quarry. Still feeling really tired. My legs are a little sore but they feel completely devoid of energy as supposed to super sore like after a running race. I am going to try an easy 40 min run tomorrow.
It's kind of funny because I really want to hit training hard right now and really start getting things going. I hate how slow my bike is and I'd really like to get some improvements for the bike. I know that to do this I'm really going to have to get out and ride a lot in the next couple months. It really bugs me how slow my bike and run portions of the triathlon are. I was happy with a sizeable PR this past weekend. But I really want to get my times down. Luckily now that the school year has ended I should be able to get out and ride a lot more and that hopefully will help my bike split moving forward.
Another thing I've really noticed is that I'm absolutely exhausted - like just want to sleep all day! I didn't do much today (except get caught up on Game of Thrones) and yet somehow I'm still just completely knackered. It's so bizarre.
It's kind of funny because I really want to hit training hard right now and really start getting things going. I hate how slow my bike is and I'd really like to get some improvements for the bike. I know that to do this I'm really going to have to get out and ride a lot in the next couple months. It really bugs me how slow my bike and run portions of the triathlon are. I was happy with a sizeable PR this past weekend. But I really want to get my times down. Luckily now that the school year has ended I should be able to get out and ride a lot more and that hopefully will help my bike split moving forward.
Another thing I've really noticed is that I'm absolutely exhausted - like just want to sleep all day! I didn't do much today (except get caught up on Game of Thrones) and yet somehow I'm still just completely knackered. It's so bizarre.
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