Steeles Avenue is my B***ch

Ironman training is going - and going well.  I am putting in my multiple workouts, cherishing my Monday rest day and am also starting to feel its effects.  My Saturday long bike ride is a culmination of a week of tough workouts with limited rest, but that is IM - you learn to do everything on tired legs and with a tired body.

A few weeks ago on a Saturday long ride, I was introduced to the Steeles Avenue hill.  This hill is really in two parts with the first (shorter) part being a 13% grade then a "plateau" where it is still climbing but the grade eases and then the second climb with a tougher piece at the end.

This first time, I had to get off my bike and walk to the plateau or I thought I would fall since I was going so slow.  I got back on my bike and finished the climb, but had to retrieve my lungs from outside my body. 

I was not a happy camper that I had to walk some of the hill, but my coach and Shelley encouraged me and said that I could do this - they haven't steered me wrong yet. 

Aha, a bite size goal - climb Steeles Avenue hill without stopping!

The second attempt was with just Shelley and I managed to climb to the plateau, stop my bike to try to breathe (but didn't get off my bike) and then continue to the top, where I stopped to once again retrieve my lungs.  Better, but not quite there yet.

This past Saturday was my third attempt at Steeles (three's a charm, don't you know) - it was on the first 60k loop of a 120k ride.  I had fab support with Shelley beside me and my coach behind me when I turned onto Steeles and got in my granny gear. 

It is a tough slog and when I could see the plateau, I really, really, really wanted to stop (which of course I verbalized).  That was greeted by a surround sound chorus of "You're not stopping - keep pedalling".  Apparently the plateau is where I can at least retrieve one of my lungs.  I tried to negotiate by asking if I could stop at the top.  "Only if you have to" was the response.

So I kept pedalling through the plateau (which actually did allow me to breathe a bit) and then continued up the second half and around the corner through the tougher finish.  By this time, I am sure that all of Milton could hear my gasping, but I did it...and kept pedalling.  I didn't stop at the top but just stayed in my granny gear to spin my legs and recover. I also knew that the long downhill of Bell School Line was just a few minutes away.

That was one proud moment for me - I set a goal for myself, learned from my previous attempts, toughed it out and accomplished it.  Sometimes when the overall goal can be overwhelming (hello...Ironman Florida), achieving bite size goals allows you to have your mini moment in the sun, while reinforcing belief in yourself and your potential.

While the goal of climbing the Steeles Avenue hill is a wee bit smaller than finishing Ironman, the concept is the same. 

I have to believe I can do this - I have to learn from my training - I have to tough it out - I will accomplish it.

A Garden of Positivity

Yesterday marked four months until Ironman Florida...that seems like a short period of time for me to be ready to step into the ocean and embark on the hardest thing I have ever done.  That was my moment of sheer panic.  Once I started breathing again, I realized that over the past three months, everything I have done in my training (along with the guidance and mentoring of my coach and support of my family and friends) has confirmed the fact that I can and will finish my IM race.  Now my focus is on finishing it well.

With that affirmation planted...there is gonna be a whole garden of positive self-talk growing...I had a fabulous month of training in June.  My build phase kicked in which increased my swims to three times a week (3k each) and the Saturday bike ride is getting longer.  I continued to push myself on the bike and kept my speed and tempo runs strong. 

The Healing Cycle 100k ride was awesome!  It's a bit of a tough course with some hills and climbs, but I did it with some amazing friends and we raised over $18,000 for Carpenter Hospice - doesn't get much better than that.

Two days later, I ran the Grimsby Peachbud 10k race.  While I was hoping for a PB, the heat/humidity and the Healing Cycle didn't quite agree with that plan.  I did, however, run a sub 1:00 and helped a friend of my husband's break the 1:00 mark as well.  Sometimes it isn't always about winning.

The final weekend of the month (Canada Day weekend) was spent at a cottage in Parry Sound.  It was a training triathlon (Kerry style) with swimming in McDougall Lake, a long bike ride consisting of kick ass hills, gradual climbs, rollers and false flats, topped off with a longer run on the very same rollers.

Training Review - 654k / 58:04 hours / 52 workouts

Day by day my confidence grows, along with my abilities to complete Ironman Florida and to do it well.  My heartfelt thanks to everyone who is helping me and following me on this journey - together we will cross that finish line when I can say that I am an Ironman.



IM Training - Becoming Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

It has been a while since my last post (my apologies but I am a little preoccupied with something call IM training).  However, it has been brought to my attention that this blog will be a meaningful keepsake when all is said and done after November 2.  It also might give others a sneak peek into this insanity.

I have completed two months of IM training (April & May) and am well into June.  For the sake of brevity, here is a Reader's Digest version of my first two months of training:

April

I must admit that I was quite nervous when April 8 rolled around and I officially started this journey.  Having never done anything remotely like this, the burning question is - will I be able to do Ironman?  Will I be able to finish?

Because I am in my base phase, the workouts were not overly hard compared to some of my previous training.  While I know this is the "honeymoon" stage, it gave me a sense of comfort that I could do what had to be done and survive.  That, along with some soul searching discussions with my coach, gave me the seed of an idea that is germinating in my brain - I can do this.  I can finish.

Over the winter, I have not been in a good place with my running (for various reasons).  With the onset of IM training, something seemed to click in my brain and I ended up with some wicked runs, including PB's at a 5k and 10k race and a third place podium finish (at the 5k) to boot!  I was some happy camper.

Training review - 310k / 34:34 hours / 45 workouts

May

In May, I settled more into the routine of 6 days training / 1 day off - how I relish Mondays!  My distances were creeping up slowly, along with my confidence in my abilities.  I train with a wonderful group of people who are the most supportive crew on the planet.  They ran the Good Life Marathon / Half Marathon on May 5 and my coach and I were their cheerleaders.  I didn't race because it isn't in my schedule - I have quickly learned that if it isn't in the schedule, the answer is no (and for good reason). 

My swim is my challenge in this sport, but I know that evey time I am in the water, I am getting better - no matter what water, no matter for how long.  Someone in the pool actually asked me for some technique advice because "I am such a good swimmer" - best compliment ever!! :-)

Training review - 452k / 34:36 hours / 39 workouts

June to date

This month, my coach told me that she is going to push me on my bike because she knows what a strong athlete I am and what my capabilities are.  She said something that has also taken seed in my brain - Ironman is not about being comfortable, it is about being outside your comfort zone...a lot. 

So with that seed planted, this week I decided to try to be more comfortable with being uncomfortable.  This has translated into a great speed workout on Tuesday night, a wicked bike ride on Wednesday night and an awesome Z3 run last night (besides some great pool drill sessions).  Weeks like this encourage that little seed of believing to grow, and grow it will.

Build phase of my training starts on June 17 - I will increase to three swims per week (3k each) and my Saturday bike rides get longer.  On June 23, I am participating in a 100k cycle to raise funds for Carpenter Hospice with my training family.  On June 25 (a mere two days later), I am racing the Peachbud 10k and I'm looking for a PB (sub 57:25) - fingers crossed!

So that's the journey so far - while it is a long road ahead (4 months 19 days to IM Florida), I am enjoying the experience and I'm sure I will be a better person because of it.

4.15.13 - Boston

So today's the day for me to update my blog and talk about my first week of Ironman training.  With the events in Boston yesterday, it seems very selfish of me to go on about how great my first week went, how I loved getting outside on my bike, how I could have easily swam 4k this morning.

So I write with a heavy heart and a fire in my soul - the monsters who perpetrated this horrific act on innocent people cannot win.  They win if we give up.  They win if we do not move forward and prove to them that they are nothing more than the cowards that they are.  They will not win - I refuse to let them.

One of my friends rode with me last night and she told me that she had qualified for Boston but had decided not to go (she's been before) - she has a guardian angel watching out for her.  My coach is going to qualify for Boston this year, which means I'll be there cheering her on next year.

We all have to continue to run (and swim and bike) to honour those victims of Boston and show that we stand united in the face of evil.  Continuing to do what we love is the best tribute we can give.  We can't change what has happened, but we have the power to change how we react to it.

So I'm going to run tonight - while it's only a 30 minute speed run, it is for Boston - it is for all of us in our running family.  We are united.

On the horizon...April 8

It's been a while since my last blog and after a gentle nudge, although I had been thinking I needed to write, here's the latest on this journey.

My vacation away was fabulous!  The cruise visited Cozumel, Belize, Honduras and Costa Maya and all had great beaches and open water swimming for me. 

My first open water swim was in Cozumel, after we did zip lining and snorkeling (which I loved). 

I didn't realize the undercurrent in Cozumel so half my swim was very tough where I felt like I wasn't even moving in the water.  My hubby (who was on shore - something wrong with that picture) said that I was moving, but it wasn't very much.  Of course, once I turned at the pier, I was motoring in the water.  All in all, I was tired but happy I got it done in those conditions - who knows what I'll face in Florida?

The swim in Honduras was a whole other story - calm, beautiful, crystal clear - I could have swam forever...well, not really, only 4k worth.  Met some great people and had their local beer afterwards...you know, to get rid of that salty taste.  That was a good day.

My calf strain was healed before I left, but I was still babying it a bit.  I did my Sunday long run on the treadmill (20k) nice and easy and then did my first speed workout.  On the way home from Florida, I did my second long run in a little town somewhere starting at a very dark 6:00 am.  My sweetie followed me in the car so I would be safe - I think it was just to shine his headlights so I could see where I was going.  Not long into the run, a pick-up truck slowed down and stopped.  The local version of Grizzly Adams got out and asked me if I was okay "because there's a guy following you and its weirding me out".  I assured him it was my hubby and that I was fine.  Gee, chivalry isn't dead.

Back from vacation, it was training as usual, getting the mileage in for March, which is a busy race month for me:

March 3 - Chilly Half Marathon

March 17 - NYC Half Marathon

March 24 - Around the Bay

Leading up to the Chilly Half, I developed a cold (thanks to my sweetie) which of course migrated to my chest the weekend of the race.  In spite of sound advice from my coach (yeah, yeah...blah, blah, blah), I ran the half and had a strong race (considering everything) with a 2:26 finish. 

Unfortunately, I paid for my foolishness and was sidelined from training that following week.

The rest did me lots of good, as I had a great hilly 15k run on Sunday and the trifecta of training yesterday with a pre-work 2.5k swim, wicked speed run in the afternoon and a max aerobic compu trainer workout in the evening.

We are travelling to the Big Apple on Friday for the NYC Half on St. Patty's Day - erin go bragh!

I'm going to commit to blog more consistently...promise...no doubt once April 8 comes around, I'll have plenty to talk about...or whine/complain about...

BTW, I did see my IM training plan on my coach's dining table on the weekend and was so tempted to take a peek...but I didn't.  We are having a meeting on March 30 and I didn't want to spoil the surprise...or maybe I'm just too terrified to look.

A sigh of relief...

These past few weeks have been a bit of a rollercoaster for me - in more ways than one.  My husband was all set to take a one year contract in Saudi Arabia starting next month, but visa issues has put that plan to the wayside.  It is bittersweet as I am really disappointed for him - I know how much he wanted this gig - but happy that he will be here with me longer (potentially through to IM Florida).  When he was going to Saudi, it was up in the air whether he would be back on this side of the world at that time.  Fingers crossed that he'll be at the finish line cheering me on and ready to catch me on the other side :-)

My injury is a calf strain and is totally fixable with physio and smart training - both of which I have been doing these past couple of weeks.  Flat running, no speed work, shorter distances for my Sunday runs = road to recovery.  Thanks to my Coach for her continued encouragement xxx. 

The pool is really saving my a** right now with my limited running - I'm even incorporating pool running to supplement my cardio.  Not my fave, but you gotta do what you gotta do.  I am actually enjoying my swims (yikes, did I just say that?) and will start to increase my distances next month.

The bright spot right now is that I leave for Florida next week and go on a Caribbean cruise the first week of February.  We are going to Cozumel, Belize, Honduras and Costa Maya.  All look like they have beautiful beaches (open water swims, here I come!) and we are also zip lining in Cozumel - woo hoo!

My WW journey is going really well and I am on my way to my goal weight (and target weight).  I'll be hitting the gym on the cruise every day and will be focused on enjoying myself while still being in control.  I would love to be down on the scales when I get back - fingers crossed!

So the hubby and I are going to enjoy our time down south before the real training starts in April - after that, the only vacay I'll get is where I can take my bike with me and I can swim (but that still leaves a lot of possibilities).

First bump in the road over - on to bigger and better things on my IM journey.

The first bump in the road...

In mid-December, I made the commitment to be more conscious of my eating (and drinking) habits in order to get back to my WW goal weight (and then some).  Every pound I shed is a pound less I am carrying...in the water, on the bike, on my feet.  I am pleased to say that I am seeing success (albeit in small increments) but I can be patient.  My goal right now is to get under my goal weight by the Around the Bay race at the end of March.

Along with my new found resolve, I committed to get back to a regular training schedule starting at the beginning of the year (after a month vacation in Australia and the holiday season).  My renewed positive mental attitude has definitely translated into my workouts - specifically in the pool and in my runners.  I have been enjoying strong swims and runs and all is good with the world.

That is until a muscle seizure put me on the sideline for running for the last week - not what I needed when I was riding that high.  After a very mini meltdown with my coach, she put things into perspective for me.  My target race is IM Florida - period.  Any other racing I get to do on my way there is a bonus.  It is January and my race is November.  This is fixable.  Of course it is - breathe a sigh of relief.

So I am doing my first pool run tomorrow and have made massage and physio appointments over the next few days.  Fingers crossed that this bump in the road is a small one and I'll be back on the complete path in no time.