trifit

I signed up for a race!

2008-06-17T11:36:00.001-04:00

MightyMan Sprint: Saturday, October 4th, 2008
Montauk, NY

I'm pretty psyched!

COURSE

This race is admired by beginner triathletes for its course that runs along segments of the half distance race takes place the following day. This is a great family weekend to spend on the east end with the Sprint on Saturday and the Half on Sunday.

SWIM-750 Meters

Out and back swim in Fort Pond, Fresh water swim with temperature in the mid to upper 60s.

BIKE- 17 Kilometers

1 loop with one challenging climb

RUN-5 Kilometers

Mostly flat with 1 kilometer rolling section around Fort Pond.

I love the NYC marathon

2007-11-04T11:07:00.000-05:00

I'm watching it on TV now, and the elite women are already in Manhattan! The point where you come off the dark, quiet bridge from Queens and start moving up 1st Avenue is just so cool. The crowd is amazing. Go Paula!

It brings up so many good memories ... I had so much fun the day I ran the race. I hope I can do it again. I got in via the lottery a few years ago, but they were saying that they had 100,000 entries and let 38,000 in this year, so it would be really lucky if I were able to get in via the lottery a second time. I think you can get a guaranteed spot if you do it for certain charities. Definitely need to look into that for 2008.

So things are really good lately. My new job is going well, but the big new is ... drum roll ... I'm pregnant! The baby is due in April, and we are so excited. So, I predict this blog will get a lot more baby-focused ... :)

I could run a marathon in November after a baby in April, right?

So much to tell!

2007-07-14T10:45:00.000-04:00

There really is ... where to begin?

I got a job! I start August 1st, and I am really excited. It's something totally different than I have ever done before, and I think it is just going to be cool as can be. I can't wait to get back in the real world ... I have been off work for 6 (!) months. While I have been enjoying the "simple life", I am beyond ready to go back. And get this - my new boss is a triathlete! An Ironman! This should definitely help me in the motivation department.

And another thing -- I'm moving! Yep, to a new apartment. In addition to being generally more fabulous than our existing place, there is a new gym WITH A POOL right around the corner. Swimming is my (biggest) weakness, so I have this vision of early morning swim sessions. Or I could join a masters swim team ... I daresay that I have totally set myself up for triathlon success! I may have an Ironman in me yet!

I think some people would be concerned that starting a new job would mean less time for training. I do, after all, have 2 tri's coming up in September. But I am just the opposite. I feel like having a job will force me to schedule workouts and better manage my time. I am a girl who needs discipline, I guess.

[Case in point: Back in college, I was a party girl first semester. I stayed out late, and my grades sucked. Second semester, I got a part-time job. Now I had to set an alarm clock and plan when I would actually study. Hello, Dean's List!]

So, the clock starts now ... I've got two weeks to take care of all the little things I would like to get done before starting a job. There are workouts to complete, home improvements to be made, an apartment to pack, friends to visit. I better get started!

Oh yeah, I went for a run this morning. 3.5 miles. Some walking happened due to my incredibly tight calves. But hey, not bad!

Love this

2007-06-23T22:56:00.000-04:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118255420792545333.html?mod=home_we_banner_left

How to Win a Marathon

Well, at least how to nab a trophy for your mantel. As races dole out more prizes, and the Web makes it easier to scope out the competition, more amateurs are perfecting the art of finding the easy win.

By REED ALBERGOTTI
June 23, 2007; Page P1

According to USA Cycling, the sport's governing body, I am a No. 1 cyclist.

I'm not the top cyclist in the U.S.; that would be a guy named Jonathan Page. Nor am I the champ in New York City, or in the borough of Manhattan, or even in the Midtown section of Manhattan, where I live. But I am the No. 1 cyclist at my skill level -- out of four total -- in the 10019 ZIP Code, a roughly one-square-mile area bordered by Central Park to the north and Times Square to the south.

Similarly, Terry Walts likes to tell his friends he's the defending champion of Georgia's Summer Sizzler Triathlon 2006. His secret: He did enough research to figure out the course would be easy and the field fairly small. In fact, he turned out to be the only person in his 55-59 age category.

As competitive amateur athletics explode, a new form of gamesmanship is emerging. Millions of people can now say they've run a marathon or a triathlon, but how many people can say they've won one? In the past, that hasn't been easy for weekend warriors who work long hours at the office and lack six-pack abs. Now, some are trying to gain an edge by finding where the fast racers aren't. Instead of training harder, they're spending hours online to scout out the field, and they're driving hundreds of miles to race against thin competition in out-of-the-way places.

Is the Chicago Triathlon, which is expecting 6,500 participants this year, too daunting for you? Well, there's always the Triathlon at Rigby Lake in Rigby, Idaho. Seventy-four people took part last May, the race's first year. Another option: the God Bless America Triathlon in Wautoma, Wis., which attracted seven people last year when it started and this year is advertising itself as perfect for beginners and "the semi-pro who wants to blaze a course."

Of course, some people cherry-pick their races simply because they feel more comfortable running, jumping and swimming with similarly love-handled weekend warriors, but there is a growing cottage industry pandering not so much to the desire to participate but to the more ruthless urge to win.

THE 'EASY' WAY

Podcast: Reed Albergotti discusses some of the ways you can become a marathon champion.

Share your thoughts: Plus, is it fair to use the Web to size up the competition before you compete?

New Web sites closely track results of thousands of races, down to local 5-kilometer charity runs. Athletes are using this information to find out how tough the competition is likely to be in a race based on previous years. The sites also keep tabs on amateur athletes in ever-greater detail, from the names of racers and their past performances to the fastest people of a certain age in a particular ZIP Code. This makes it easier than ever to find out how you stack up against your neighbors.

Some of Jack Weixel's most important race preparation takes place in his home office, where he sits in a leather executive chair trolling the Internet. On the walls are photos of himself running triathlons, including a series of photos that shows the progression of his weight loss from when he started three years ago.

During triathlon season, which runs from spring to fall in and around Walnut Creek, Calif., the software salesman spends at least an hour every day searching for data on competitors and races in which he might be able to place well. He often Googles the terms "triathlon" and "flat"; at 200 pounds, he says hilly courses are a challenge.

Mr. Weixel, 49, has yet to come in first in a race, but he has won medals this way. If he knows from his research that a key competitor is stronger in swimming but weaker in biking and running, he might save his strength while swimming the first leg, letting the other guy gain, and then try to blow by him on the bike in the second leg or on foot in the third.

In April, he came in a close second in his age group in the Moraga Treeline Triathlon in Moraga, Calif., a race he picked in part because it was scheduled a week before the more-popular Wildflower Triathlon. Also, a friend tipped him off that races on university campuses, while very competitive for those 18 to 22 years old, are poorly attended by people in their late 40s. Next year, Mr. Weixel plans to race the Stanford triathlon. "Stanford has a very flat campus," he says.

For some weekend warriors, such strategies violate a core principle of competitive sports: Going up against people at least as good as you makes you better. The practice can be particularly disheartening for people who assume that their local races are, well, local, and then they wind up getting thumped by a carpetbagger.

Nicholas Bernice, a science teacher at Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale, N.J., had dreams of winning his school's annual 5-kilometer charity run, where the bulk of the racers tend to be faculty, staff and students.

Toward the end of the race, he was passed by a few serious-looking runners he didn't recognize. One of those runners was Michael Conforti, a teacher's boyfriend, who owns a local running shop called Sneaker Factory. Mr. Conforti had planned simply to jog alongside his girlfriend, but when he lined up at the start, he looked around and realized he had a good chance of winning if he tried.

As he set out, Mr. Conforti says, he began "picking off" inexperienced high-school runners who started out too fast. It wasn't until he passed the school band and heard its cheers for Mr. Bernice that he realized he was about to defeat the beloved -- and exhausted -- science teacher. Mr. Bernice set a personal record, but Mr. Conforti won the race. "People were upset with me," he says.

Races are also getting more generous with prizes, parsing achievement into ever more granular levels. Fields are now routinely split into five-year age groups, each of which has a winner. Trophies or medals are awarded to fourth- and fifth-place finishers, too. Categories for heavyset competitors, "Athena" for females and "Clydesdale" for males, give an edge to tall people who tend to weigh more than shorter people.

James Longhurst drove 50 miles to compete in the Buckeye Lake Triathlon in Millersport, Ohio, last year. He had scoped it out and determined it had only about 100 participants, compared to the nearly 1,000 people who usually compete in the Wendy's International Triathlon race just outside Columbus. He finished third out of seven in his 30-to-34 age group, earning him a spot at the postrace medal ceremony. "I screamed out loud," he says. "I just don't tell anyone there were only seven people."

Mr. Longhurst says cherry-picking races gives him his only shot for coming in first. The history professor in New Concord, Ohio, says the demands of his job and family don't allow him to train as rigorously as full-time athletes. "They're pros," he says. "They have 3% body fat and a $10,000 bike. I'm a recreational triathlete."

Race organizers say they have no way of identifying competitors who deliberately choose easy races. It's also not against the rules. Rob Beeler, the organizer of a triathlon outside Indianapolis that is heavily attended by beginners, says he still invites experienced triathlon clubs to take part in the race, even though he knows they'll probably sail to victory. "We want to attract as many people as we can," he says.

I discovered I was No. 1 by chance a few months ago while I was looking on the Web site of USA Cycling. The group started posting results of races and individual rankings in 2000 in response to cyclists saying they wanted see to how they measure up against their rivals. Race organizers voluntarily submit the results, and USA Cycling keeps updated rankings of registered cyclists based on geography, age and skill level.

Mike Halovitch, a cycling buddy of mine, chose another route to the top. In November, he entered and won an "ironman" triathlon in the Bahamas. The Ironman is an elite, long-distance triathlon that only a handful of people can claim to have won. What Mr. Halovitch doesn't tell a lot of people is that the Bahamian race, while modeled after official Ironman races, was not sanctioned by the World Triathlon Corp. -- and only seven other people participated.

To find a race where the odds of a win are high, start with a little Internet sleuthing. Sites like Coolrunning.com and Trifind.com list results for thousands of obscure races and triathlons around the country. Results are generally good indicators of what to expect the next time around, especially since some athletes return to the same race year after year.

If you're looking to gauge the toughness of a race, it's also a good idea to use these sites to research your competitors. You can find more information about racers by looking them up online or searching the databases of sites that track them. Athlinks.com, for example, has information on more than nine million athletes and 35,000 races.

Also, look for whether the race results are divided up by age group (the more age groups, the better chance you have at taking home a trophy) and see what the winning time was in your category.

Four years ago, Troy Busot started the site that has since become Athlinks.com. The amateur triathlete cultivates relationships with race organizers to get them to send him results that he then crunches and posts. The site sends regular email updates about competitors' performances. He says the pros also suss out their competition. "You take guys like Lance Armstrong; they know what their main rivals are doing," he says.

For years, amateurs didn't get much notice beyond praise from their friends or families. Even when race results began appearing on the Internet, sites weren't always updated frequently, or they listed only a small number of races.

Now, these sites are turning amateur athletes into local celebrities. On Slowtwitch.com and Coolrunning.com, racers are profiled like the pros in Sports Illustrated. In New York City, a popular cycling Web site, Velocitynation.com, for example, posts action shots from amateur races, and local cyclists are featured in interviews in which they answer questions about everything from their training routines to their personal lives.

Chris Bennett, a columnist on track-and-field site Milesplit.com, says many serious runners who couldn't name the fastest American runner in the 100 meters right now (Tyson Gay) could name several people who dominate races in their area. "The stars of the sport are people around them when they finish at their local road race," says Mr. Bennett, a runner and financial advisor in Apex, N.C.

Wendy Abma says entering a race is like being a bridesmaid; winning one is being the bride. Ms. Abma's home in Ridgewood, N.J., is decorated with a half-dozen plaques and trophies "where everyone can see them." Sometimes, she'll finish a race and set a personal best, but she says coming in first is "more impressive." As an employee of a company that keeps track of times during races, Ms. Abma says she's more familiar with many of the courses than other runners and has a leg up in scouting the easier ones.

Her favorite medal is one for a 5K race she entered because a friend was having trouble finding enough participants. After checking the course online to make sure it was flat, she registered and later cruised to victory. When friends ask about the plaque, she doesn't usually mention the skill level of the other racers. "You don't always have to mention how you got there," Ms. Abma says.

For all the thrill of picking up another medal, smaller races can present some problems for serious competitors. Kristina Kester is a former college swimmer who has won or placed well in dozens of triathlons. But during the swim leg of a triathlon in Carrollton, Ga., she had to navigate around flailing swimmers, one of whom called for help from a buoy after the first 100 meters. She also had to deal with male cyclists jockeying with her for position because they didn't want to be passed by a woman. "It makes for a long morning," says Ms. Kester.

Write to Reed Albergotti at reed.albergotti@wsj.com

What the hell ...

2007-06-23T22:27:00.000-04:00

I signed up for TWO triathlons!

1. Mighty Hamptons (Olympic Distance) on September 16th

Olympic Swim 1.5K (.93mile), Bike 40K (23.0 miles), and Run 10K (6.2 miles).
The Swim : Out and back along the shore in pristine Noyac Bay, usually calm, water temp 64-70, wetsuits allowed.
The Bike: Loop, taking a scenic tour of the Hamptons, mild hills.
The Run: Flat, fast, beautiful views finish at the beach!

2. Mightyman Montauk (HALF IRONfreakingMAN Distance) on September 30th

1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run (known as a Half Distance Triathlon).
1.2 mile swim Fresh Water Water temps expected in the mid to upper 60s. Wetsuits recommended.
56-mile bike. Two Laps on a 28-mile Rolling Course. 2200 Total feet of elevation gain. Around town and the Montauk Light House. Light Traffic and great Roads view of the ocean and bay, what could be better?
13.1 mile run. Two Laps on a hilly 6.55 mile course. 806 Total feet of elevation gain. A two lap course that is quite challenging, after a rolling 3 miles you hit "murder hill" followed by two other challenging climbs.

I have attempted both of these races before. In 2005. Both were somewhat unsuccessful. In the Oly distance tri, I swallowed a bunch of salt water, got out of the water just past the halfway point and walked down the beach. But I rallied. No one seemed to mind that I got back on the course to do the bike and run and finish the race. In the half-Ironman, I timed out on the swim. It was long. Although I had a kayak escort for much of it, I was proud that I swam that whole 1.2 miles. Honestly, I think it was harder than the marathon. But I got back to my bike and they told me they had to take my chip. Sigh. I, being pretty tired, went out to brunch with husband.

So perhaps now I shall be redeemed. I have 13 weeks. Not impossible. Although I haven't been doing any triathlon-specific training, I have been working out with a personal trainer for the last six months and my muscle mass is up. And since I am unemployed (whatever!), I should have plenty of time to train.

Things are looking up!

Personal Training

2007-03-12T11:31:00.000-04:00

This morning I met with my personal trainer for an hour. I've been doing this for a few months now, and I have to say, I really love it. My trainer is a woman in her 50s, and started the training thing a few years ago after a teaching career. I find this inspiring - she is way more fit than me, and I like the idea of doing something completely different.

One of the things that has really struck me about this process is her observations about me. Not many people really see me work out. And since she trains people every day, I feel like her opinions are more informed than most. So here are some of the things she has said which have made me think:

1. "An athlete like you ..." Um, what? She says I'm an athlete? I just really don't think of myself this way. Yeah, I've done some races, I try to stay fit, but ... athlete? I like it!

2. "You don't have to worry. You aren't obese at all." What!?! Hey now, wait a minute ... saying that I'm not obese is like saying that I actually am kind of fat. Ouch. But hey, maybe a little touch love isn't so bad. After all, Mom, friends and even Husband aren't going to say it. And I don't really think they see it. I basically put on 2-3 pounds a year for the last 10 years. She doesn't know that. She only sees someone with some extra pounds around the middle. Ouch again. The truth hurts.

3. "Your balance is amazing. My other clients never get it the first time." I never knew I had great balance! She likes to say that we are "multi-tasking" - many, if not most of the exercises we do, involve dumbbells PLUS the balance ball, or the bosu thingy, or standing on one leg. Who knew?

4. "Have you lost weight? You are looking a lot more toned. I can really see a difference." Thanks! Although I haven't actually lost any weight, I have lost inches and can see the difference. Husband has said so too. It's nice when someone else notices.

I doubt that she has any idea of the effect that these offhand comments have. It's interesting to me. And it does motivate me. So it's all good.

Montauk

2007-03-09T11:30:00.000-05:00

More exciting blog maintenance ... I started a training log (get one here) and added it to the sidebar. Cute! I'm thinking about putting weather back up as well.

What I really need to work on is getting some races on my schedule. My husband and I live in Brooklyn, but spend a lot of time in Montauk.

Ah, Montauk ... it is really a triathelete's paradise. Not only are there several races held here, but there are wide roads for bike riding (I am really a chicken about bike riding in NYC), clean water for swimming, and beautiful routes for running. Now that Spring is almost here (can't wait), I need to start taking advantage of the great outdoors.

Saltwater air makes me happy ...

I miss my blog!

2007-03-08T10:54:00.000-05:00

It was this cool thing I used to do ... train for triathlons and write about it online. It's been awhile, and I even cheated on this blog with another one, but I want to come back.

Although I haven't been blogging, I have actually been working out. I bought some personal training sessions in late December, and I have been going 1-2 times per week to work out with my trainer Christine. Been trying to do cardio - running, rowing, biking or ellyptical - at least 2 times on top of the strength-building training sessions. I haven't been swimming in ages.

I really like working with a personal trainer. I have definitely struggled with motivation, and having an appointment and spending money on it makes me actually go to the gym. Plus, she has me do things I would never do myself. Much more focus on strength and also balance. I can't tell you how many exercises I do while standing on one leg, or on the ball, etc.

And I have definitely been seeing results! Although I still haven't lost any pounds (why!? why?!), I have definitely gained muscle and lost fat. I've lost a solid 1.5 inches from the waist. So I can't complain. I've got a swimsuit-required vacation coming up in mid April, so I'd planning to ramp up the cardio in hopes of budging the scale and looking good in my bikini.

That's it for now, but I did just spend some time fixing my links on the page and such. Enough blogging time for one day. Plan to be back tomorrow!

Annual Theme

2006-12-28T16:03:00.000-05:00

December 28, 2006. 2007 is just around the corner. Deep thoughts, I know.

It's been kind of a weird year. Since I pretty much stopped blogging in May, we've moved to Brooklyn and I'm leaving my job. There's been a lot of real estate and work-related turmoil - we sold our place, almost bought another one, changed our minds, and moved into a rental instead. I changed jobs (at the same company), got a new boss, became ... disillusioned ... and am now on my way out. In addition, I basically stopped working out on any kind of regular schedule. Blah. Bleh. I don't want to make it sound too bad -- good times and fun were had, but maybe I was just hitting below my game. In retrospect, I'll call 2006 the "Year of Transition."

But 2005 was my self-appointed "Year of Fitness." I actually told people that, and it pretty much worked. After a lifetime of limited (to put it nicely) physical activity, I turned over a new leaf. I ran the New York City Marathon. I completed 2 and 1/3 (don't ask) triathlons. I bought a bike (actually 2). I learned to swim (thanks TI!). I ran bunches of races in Central Park. I lost fat (if not many pounds) and felt good. Training for triathlons (and running the NYC marathon) was this cool thing that I did.

So what's on the agenda for 2007?

For one thing, I need a name. And some goals. I'm thinking the "Year of Balance." I have some divergent goals, and I need to balance everything. I'd like to set a PR financially, but also on the road and in the pool. I'd like like to start a new job ... and a family. I'd like to have a fit body .. . and a clean house. You get the picture. Basically, I want it all.

From past experience, I can easily identify three keys to success:

1. Goal setting. I just get more done when I have a goal. I'll set some specific goals in another post.

2. Frequency. Slow and steady (literally) wins the race for me. It took me a while to figure out the exercising 4 times a week for 30 minutes was better (and more likely and sustainable) in the long run than once a week for 2 hours.

3. Record-keeping. Hello, blog and online triathlon friends. Thanks for all your help! Also, I do love spreadsheets.

So that's it. 2007 is the "Year of Balance." Next up, goals.

New Year, New Blog

2006-12-22T20:59:00.000-05:00

So, I decided to start up the blog again. I even spruced it up with a fresh new look - blue is my favorite color. Unfortunately, I lost all my links and stuff when I switched the template. Whoops!

Back on the horse

2006-05-31T09:04:00.000-04:00

It's been a while. A long while. Busy at work, life, whatever. Blah, blah, blah. But, I went for a run on Sunday, and I realized that I miss training, and I am so much more effective and disciplined when I have a goal.

A bunch of races I had been thinking about (umm, months ago) have blown by. But here are a few that can still happen:

July 9th: Mighty North Fork Sprint Triathlon
I just signed up. Yay! I did this one last year. It was my first ever triathlon (sniff!..) Anyway, I should definitely do a LOT better. My swimming has really improved, and I did this on a mountain bike. But, the times to beat are ....

Swim: 22:53 (500m)
Bike: 31:33 (14K)
Run: 41:11 (5K)

June 10: Mighty Montauk Triathlon

Swim: 1 mile
Bike: 22 miles
Run: 6.2 miles

I don't really have any business doing this -- it's in 2 weeks and I haven't been doing crap. But the course it right outside our weekend rental! How can I say no? Also ufortunate is that I won't be there this weekend to practice on the course. Also, we may be having houseguests and it would be pretty embarassing if I drowned. Sigh. Should I? Should I?

I have, however, done 2 things to prepare. Last night I swam 1100 meters (11 X 100) - pretty good for me.

On Monday I swam in the lake (Lake Montauk, where the race will be). It was cold! Husband paddled alongside on his surfboard (he is so good). This is embarassing, but I needed a confidence builder. I wore flippers on the way out. Damn, I'm fast with those; too bad I can't wear in the race. Then I gave them to husband and swam for real (wind-assisted) on the way back. It wasn't pretty, but I did it.

I wish I would have jumped back on the horse a month or so ago.

Race Report: Scotland 10K

2006-04-02T17:13:00.000-04:00

Well, I set another Trifit World Record!

I finished in 1:07, beating my previous best by an unbelievable 7 minutes! It was a beautiful day, and this was one of the bigger races I've done in a while.

The whole Scottish thing made it more fun. A lot of tartan was sported. I followed a girl whose shirt said "Got Haggis?" for a while. There were bagpipers and dancing playing every mile or so -- lots of fun.

So, how have I managed to beat previous times by as much as 10%? Well, it isn't due to rigorous training. In fact, I haven't done any running at all since my last race, 2 weeks ago ( I have done some other walking/biking/etc). I really don't even run any faster, I just take fewer breaks. I've been known to walk up the hills and run down, stop at every water opportunity and even take a bathroom break during a race. Good to be laid back, but . . .. maybe that is just a little ridiculous. Anyway, I have figured out that if I just run, I can usually set a new trifit record. Which isn't so bad, because I still did a little walking this time -- maybe I can get my 10K down to an hour!

Another thing : this was my 4th NYRR race this year. Woo-hoo! If I do nine (9) this year, I am guaranteed a place in the NYC Marathon next year. So, 5 more to go!

How cute are we?

2006-03-31T09:18:00.000-05:00

So Mom and I walked the More half-marathon last Sunday, as planned. We finished in 4:19. It was really fun! We were just walking, so there was no pressure, but I know Mom wasn't sure she would want to do all those miles.

It wasn't so bad after all!

overheard in the dressing room at Ann Taylor

2006-03-24T08:54:00.000-05:00

"I'm telling you, don't even start with Chico's or Eileen Fisher. Once you get used to that elastic waistband, you might as well just give up."

Dang! Those ladies are tough!

Wily coyote rehabilitated

2006-03-22T18:12:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A coyote was captured Wednesday morning in New York's Central Park after a prolonged chase that ended with the animal being tranquilized by sharpshooters from the Police Department's emergency services unit.

The animal was apprehended near Belvedere Castle, home of the annual Shakespeare in the Park theater series in the heart of the 843-acre park, at about 9:45 a.m., police said.
That was after the coyote gave pursuers the slip in the Hallett Nature Sanctuary near Wollman Rink, in the park's south end. It jumped into a pond, swam under a bridge, squeezed through a fence and raced away.

New York Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe told reporters at the scene, "We have the coyote cornered, but it remains elusive."

The coyote, nicknamed Hal, sparked pandemonium when it darted out of the wooded area and skirted Wollman Rink, where people were ice skating.

Police officers, rangers and sharpshooters -- as well as news camera operators and news helicopters flying overhead -- chased the coyote at a frantic pace before losing track of it.

The ice rink was briefly evacuated to get skaters out of a possible line of fire.
By Tuesday night, police and rangers had chased the animal into the preserve.

"Coyotes are native to New York state, and their habitat is rapidly expanding," Benepe told reporters Wednesday morning.

"This one probably came down through the wooded section of Riverdale in the Bronx, then crossed into Manhattan, where it probably went the length of Riverside Park," which spans Manhattan's west side, before entering Central Park.

He speculated the animal possibly swam across a river to reach the island of Manhattan. It was first seen at 1:30 a.m. Sunday and wrongly identified as a wolf, according to the parks department.

Police "did such a skillful job of tracking the animal over 20 hours and tranquilizing it in the most humane way," Benepe said in a statement.

Officials said the healthy animal was about a year old and was the second coyote spotted in Central Park in seven years.

Police sources said the coyote is being transferred to a wildlife facility in upstate New York, where it will be "rehabilitated."

This Weekend

2006-03-21T19:43:00.000-05:00

Should be interesting. My mom is coming to town Saturday and we are going to walk a half-marathon together in Central Park on Sunday. It's a women-only event, for women over 40. Women under 40 (like me) can do the event with a partner.

[Hmm, 40 really isn't that far away . . . does anybody else hear that ticking?]

She claims she's been sick, so she hasn't been able to do much training. For weeks. Sounds like an excuse to me, but OK. She'll be fine. It will literally be a walk in the park.

Anyway, I think it is going to be fun, and I suspect she will get a glimpse into why I like the races. There's going to be a medal! And walking 13 miles will give us plenty of time to catch up. Maybe this will become a tradition? Although I bet Mom would vote for a 5K . . . ;-)

I booked her a massage a few hours after the race. Sometimes I am a pretty good daughter.

Race Report: Another 4 Miler

2006-03-12T10:20:00.000-05:00

This morning, I was up and at'em in the Pfizer Oncology Colon Cancer Challenge. After a beautiful day yesterday, it was grey and nippy this morning. But I got up. I had my "summer runner's breakfast" of almond butter on whole wheat toast - yum. "Winter runners breakfast" is usually oatmeal.

It's pouring out now, but there was a constant drizzle during the race. I picked up my number and made it to the start about 30 seconds before the horn.

So, I think I PR's! The dang results aren't posted yet, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I defintely came within a minute. The clock wasn't working at the start of the race .. hope this doesn't mean results are lost!

This was my fifth 4 mile race in Central Park. The course is usually pretty much the same - there is a 4 mile inner loop, but the starting point sometimes changes. I like today's route best, because we start around 72nd St, instead of 110th.

Still waiting for results to be posted! Here are my comparables:

February 25, 2006: Time = 43:34, Pace = 10:53
December 3, 2005: Time = 43:26, Pace = 10:51
April 24, 2005: Time = 42:58, Pace = 10:44
February 26, 2005: Time = 43:36, Pace = 10:54

Will update soon!

UPDATE: Sunday afternoon

Hey, 42:06! I did beat my previous time, by 52 seconds! Pace was 10:31. Very pleased!

Sunshine Day

2006-03-11T16:27:00.000-05:00

First of all, I love that Flatman and Tri-Daddy confessed that "The Notebook" was a real tearjerker. They're like, renaissance men that way.

But back to me. It is a bee-yoooo-tifull day here in NYC today. (That was supposed to be a NY accent). Aaahhhh . . . it is so much easier to go outside and be in the world on a day like today.

I considered going for a run, but I have a race tomorrow and I've been feeling the occasional twinge in my knee, so we went to the gym instead. Husband hit the weights - he is getting quite buff - and I headed for some cardio. I listened to Will and Kahuna's show while I "elliptycalled" -- is that a word? Someone called in and said that listening during a workout turns a chore into a relaxing activity. I feel the same way, and it kept me going for the full hour.

Race tomorrow. 4 miles. Starts at 8. I need to pick up my number, so I should leave here around 7? Forecast is 50 with a chance or rain -- pretty nice. I am really looking forward to a warm-ish weather run. Husband promises to kick me out -- I skipped my last race because "Morning Wife" whined that it was too cold. "Daytime Wife" always has such good intentions.

What else, what else . . . is anyone else as excited as I am about the Soprano's? New season starts tomorrow night. I'm making "Carmela's Baked Ziti" just for hahas.

So nice out . . . . I think I may convince Husband to grill tonight.

I think I'll go for a walk outside, the sunshine's calling my name . . . can you hear it now?

Home Alone

2006-03-07T10:47:00.000-05:00

Husband's away for three days on a business trip. Usually I'm the one who travels; I'm not used to the creaky sounds in the apartment when I go to bed.

Last night I walked home for exercise, then watched "The Notebook" on the couch, covered in cats. It was kind of like, "Girl's Night In". I ate some chocolate and cried my eyes out. It's better he didn't have to see that.

Come home soon, honey. I miss you!

The Final Solution

2006-03-04T19:05:00.000-05:00

This doesn't have to do with triathlons . . . well, actually it kinda does.

I have somewhat sensitive skin. I tend to get a little razor burn in the summer, especally when it's hot out. Last summer, with the the addition of neoprene, salt water, and additional sweating, this was a constant annoyance. Waxing is better than shaving, but that isn't perfect either.

Which brings us to the the final solution: ELECTROLYSIS. Yup, I bit the bullet, and got the armpits done last week. You are dying to know all about it, I can tell. Here's what I think you want to know:

- Did it hurt? Yes. It felt like, oh I don't know, someone sticking a tiny needle into each individual pore and delivering an electric shock. Yes, it hurts. I think that it doesn't actually hurt anymore than waxing, but the pain is much more prolonged. Which leads to . . .

- How long did it take? Way longer than I expected. 1.5 hours for 1 lousy armpit. Waxing hurts too, but at least it's over quickly!

- Was it expensive? Yes. I can't tell you anymore, because Husband reads this blog.

But here's the good thing . . . it's permanent! It's been over a week, and nothing has grown back! I have to go back to kill a few minor stragglers, but that's it.

Ladies, I think you know where I'm going next. Nothing too drastic, but summer is just around the corner. Bring on the beach!

I feel a little shallow. Trust me, I am not the type to go for plastic surgery or anything like that. But my hairless armpits are freaking awesome!

PS. Maybe this is a little too much information. I'm just keepin it real, people.

More races

2006-02-28T14:14:00.000-05:00

Hey, I signed up for some more races!

March 5th - Coogan's Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K. This one sounds really fun. It is WAY uptown in Fort Tryon Park, and there are bands and music on the route. Maybe this will motivate a PR? Time to beat is 32:20.
March 12th - Pfizer Oncology Colon Cancer 4-Mile. Catchy name, huh? 4 mile time to beat is 42:58.
April 2nd - Scotland Run 10K. Time to beat is 1:14:51
April 9th - Thomas G. Labrecque Classic 4-Mile. Another 4 mile PR opportunity.

Now that I've done many distances at least once, I want to see some improvement. I am obsessed with more personal records!

Back in December, I was aiming for an April marathon. Since I haven't done any training, that just isn't going to happen. But the shorter races are fun and require less training. And maybe they'll make me faster!

Race Report - Snowflake 4 Mile

2006-02-25T13:33:00.000-05:00

Brrr! It was cold and windy this morning. Around 30 degrees and gray. After hitting the snooze several times, husband reached his limit and shoved me out of bed. The apartment was cold. I made a hot breakfast (oatmeal with raisins, a cup of tea) and threw on a lot of layers -- 2 pairs of pants (thin tights with windstopper pants over top), shortsleeve shirt covered with 2 sweat-wicking longsleeve shirts. Gloves and a hat, too. Then I put my free race sweatshirt on over everything, so this was probably a bit of overkill.

The race started at 9:30, and I picked up my number (and sweatshirt and chip) at 9:14. The place closed at 9:15, so this was cutting it a little close. Number pickup is on 89th Street, but the race start is near 110th Street. A brisk walk over there served as a warmup, and I was only standing around at the start for a few minutes. This sure beats standing asround freezing for a 1/2 hour, which has happened in the past.

It's a little embarrassing to admit, but I haven't done any running at all since our vacation in early January. I've done quite a few of these races in Central Park, but I was a little nervous this time. I don't really know why, but it was good to just get back out there.

I ran the first 2.5 miles without stopping, then stopped for water and a walk break around mile 3. Walked a bit on the last big hill, too -- my left knee was aching a bit. I got a little overheated and took off my hat and gloves for the last mile. All in all, I think I'd rather be too warm than miserably cold.

So I finished in 43:34 minutes, a pace of 10:53 per mile. Eh. Nothing great, but considering that I haven't been doing much of anything lately, I am pleased to be in line with my other results. Since I haven't been doing much lately, I had to push myself more to get the same result as in other races. I was actually 2 seconds faster than I was at this time last year!

I was thinking about the whole concept of races this morning. Why do I do it? Sure, I'd like to get in better shape, lose a few pounds, etc. But I could do that without trekking up to Central Park and running around in the cold. I guess I just really need to feel a sense of accomplishment. I look for that in other parts of my life too - money, job, MBA, marathon, etc.

I also think it's good for Husband and I to each have our own "thing" that we do without the other. We weren't exactly spring chickens when we got married, and both of us were used to doing things on our own terms. We have both always been very independent, and you really don't need make many compromises when you live alone. I know he loves me, but sometimes he just needs to be left alone.

I hear a lot of women, especially new moms, that they never have time to do anything for themselves, they feel like they lose themselves, etc. And that running or tri or painting or whatever is so important to them because they have a chance to be alone with their thoughts. I guess I already learned this lesson, when I started running and training for triathlons last year. Getting out there after a few months of sloth and winter blahs reminded me.

Okay, enough random musings. There's a 5K next Sunday, and another 4 miler in 2 weeks. Then Mom and I are going to walk a half marathon. Lots of accomplishments to look forward to!

More cardio

2006-02-23T09:03:00.000-05:00

Last night I didn't make it to the gym, so I went home and had a date with my friend Billy Blanks. I like the Tae-bo because it definitely makes me sweat, and works the abs without doing crunches. I really can't stand those.

I did a little housekeeping around here. Pulled down my January goals (which was just kind of sad), and removed Mom as a member of the blog. That one post she put up just doesn't qualify. Besides, it's all about me. Sorry Mom!

Back in the gym

2006-02-22T09:51:00.000-05:00

FINALLY, I got back in the gym last night. I just wanted to squeeze in a quickie workout, to prove I could get it done in a short amount of time.

30 minutes on the ellyptical. I left work at 5:30, hit the gym and still made the 6:30 train. Then I did a brisk walk from the station home. Home by 8:30. Not too bad.

So that's was pretty lame, but I needed to take that baby step. Husband is playing poker (a new tradition) tonight with friends, so I'm going back tonight. Not sure if I will run or do some weights. Crawling slowly out of the abyss of slothdom . . .

I have a RACE this weekend. I blew off the last couple I was planning, but not this time. It's a 4-miler, a distance I have done several times on the same course in Central Park. So, even though I haven't been doing any running lately, I plan to at least try to meet or beat my previous times, which are:

December 3, 2005 - 3:26 (10:51 Pace)
April 24, 2005 - 42:58 (10:44 pace)
February 26, 2005 - 43:36 (10:54 pace)

The forecast calls for highs in the upper 30s and snow showers. This should be interesting!

I fell off

2006-02-19T09:49:00.000-05:00

It's been so long since I blogged, that:

My mother has adopted someon else's blog
Husband has stopped asked when I'm going to update it
My blogroll links are out of date
I forgot my password and had to reset it

Kind of sad, isn't it? Um, I haven't been doing much working out, either. My excuses are many:

I started a new job, and have a new boss. Surfing the Internet all day just isn't going to fly. Also, no more working from home + a long (2 hour) commute.
Husband and I are planning a move, and evenings and weekends are consumed with painting, cleaning and house hunting.

But that's no excuse, I know. Lots of busy people find time. I used to.

I've been inspired lately by others. Nancy, Kahuna, Keryn, Jessie and Iron Wil are all doing so well! Even my mom went back to the "cult" (Weight Watchers) and has lost a few pounds. Maybe that was final kick I needed to bring out my competitive side.

I've been taking some baby steps. I started tracking my food intake at Fitday. I like it -- I am keeping it up to date, and the increased discipline is good for me. One thing it made me realize is that I eat too many carbs, not enough protein. I guess that is true for most of us. Anyway, I am working on it. Plus I've been working my a** of getting our current place ready for sale - painting, redoing floors, moving truckloads of stuff into storage, etc.

So, I don't have anything brilliant to say, but I just wanted to get something up here. I'm back!

Back from vacation!

2006-01-06T18:10:00.000-05:00

Well, I thought I'd write while I was away, but it didn't happen. We had a great vacation! Husband and I spent the Holidays with family and explored the great state of California - top to bottom.

There were reports of all kinds of severe weather, but we seemed to just miss it everywhere we went. Anyway, what's a little rain when we are used to driving in blizzard conditions this time of year? Those Californians are a little soft when it comes to dealing with a cloudy day, at least in the South.

So here are some impressions about California, from a New Yorker point of view:

- People in LA and San Diego drive FAST. I thought I was an aggressive driver, coming from NYC. I constantly found myself being passed, while doing 80+.

- There are a lot of line-cutters in this state. Several times, someone just stepped in front of us at the front of the line, and seemed genuinely surprised when we put the "smackdown" on them.

- The seals in Monterey made so much noise I could hear in the hotel room with the windows shut. Kind of like a kennel of barking dogs all night outside the window.

- People eat early. We'd start dinner around 8 and would shut the place down. Actually, this happens to us everywhere in America outside New York.

- Radio stations play more variety, more rock, and more local talent.

- It is surprisingly easy to cross the border and go to Mexico for the afternoon. I travel to Canada a lot, and you need a passport now. For Tijiuana, we just needed a driver's license. We parked on the US side and walked across a bridge. For lunch, we had raw shellfish and lemonade. Then we got some tattoos and veterinary drugs. Just kidding!

- In Tijiuana, everyone trying to sell us stuff called us "honeymooners". That was about the only endearing thing there.

- I bet that Hearst guy was a real s.o.b.

- We went to the Monterey aquarium and the San Diego zoo. Both excellent!

- We also saw lots of "wild" life - a parade of turkeys, elephant seals, harbor seals, sea lions, otters, hawks, and tons of deer.

Anyway it was a great trip and I actually did some working out while I was away. The downside? Restaurant meals + drinks with dinner every night = a 5 pound gain. Argh!

The Plan

2005-12-22T13:44:00.000-05:00

I have devised a relatively aggressive plan for 2006. I used my wealth of information about training from books, websites, and blogs. The result is a spreadsheet with schedules, pivot tables and charts. I think it rocks.

Here are my fitness goals for the year:

- Live a balanced, healthy lifestyle
- Improve my athletic performance
- Improve my aerobic endurance
- Stay injury-free
- Complete another marathon
- Complete a 1/2 Ironman (or longer) distance race

I am purposely avoiding any weight loss goals. I lost fat (but no pounds) in 2005, and I'll be happy just to continue the trend. If I just do all the running in my plan for 2006, I'm pretty certain I'll lose pounds too.

Other goals, while I am at it:
- Nurture relationships with Husband, family and friends
- Kick a** at work
- Reduce clutter at home and in life

Here is my strategy:

- Line up a ton of races. The races definitely keep me motivated. Living in NYC, I am finding plenty of races which won't require travel, and don't cost much. (Well the tri's are $$$, but the road races are cheap). Even if I occasionally miss one, having a goal for a Saturday morning gets me out of bed. I also picked a few challenging "biggies" early in the season - the Liberty to Liberty Triathlon and the Montauk Century Bike Ride.

- Plan & schedule workout time. Experience has taught me that I need to mark my calendar, pack my gym bag, sign up for a scheduled class, etc. to make it happen. So that's what I'll do every week, for the following week.

- Eat well. In general, I think I do pretty well. I avoid fast food and sugar for the most part. Next year, I need to eat MORE vegetables, protein and whole fruits, and LESS carbs (especially refined) and sweets.

- Be flexible and do something active every day. I can't always get to the gym or the pool or get outside in a blizzard. But I can do a core workout, yoga routine, or workout video at home or in my hotel room.

- Push myself. I really don't most of the time. My goals have always been just to "finish", which is definitely the way to go at the beginning. If I want to run faster in races, I need to run faster in workouts. So there you go.

- Attend group workouts. I found a swim class on Sunday nights that starts in late January. I found a group bike rides on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I think I may get Husband to come along for these - an added bonus. I am a little afraid to ride my bike in city traffic (crazy cab drivers, etc), but I think being in a group will give me more confidence.

- Keep up the blog. It helps! The comments are really supportive, and the act of writing things down really helps me visualize success, stay motivated and stick to the plan.

To make the plan, I put all my races in a spreadsheet. Then I worked backwards and added the training plan for my April marathon. Added my swim class that starts in late January. Added the group bike rides almost every weekend. Throw in a spin class, some weights, and some core exercises, and it gets pretty challenging!

I know I need to stay flexible, so I will release my goals one month at a time. Also, I set goals for both distance and time. Time has little relation to speed - I know I want to spend at least 7.5 hours on the bike, for example.

January:

- Swim. Distance goal = 2000 meters / Time goal: 2+ hours (low, but I know I have some trips scheduled which will make it hard to get to the pool)
- Bike. Distance goal = 115 miles / Time goal: 7.5 hours (25-30 mile group bike rides are key to achieving this goal)
- Run. Distance goal = 90 miles / Time goal: 15 hours
- Core. Time goal = 2 hours. That's my 10 minute core workout, 12 times.

So there you have it. I feel ready. I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow, so I feel good about getting this done before I leave. Also, my posts may be pretty limited while I am away, but I will have my running shoes and schedule in hand!

Happy holidays!

I need a plan

2005-12-20T16:21:00.000-05:00

I've been kind of intentionally slacking since the marathon. First, I wanted to give my body a break. Also, the cold weather seems to encourage me to curl up on the couch, covered in blankets and cats - not exactly a healthy lifestyle. The less you do, the less want to do, and so you do even less. I am trapped in a downward spiral of slothfulness. A den of sloth.

It's the end of the year (Christmas is on Sunday already!), and I think a good time to reflect and plan for next year. In 2005, I ran, biked and swam farther (and faster) than I ever have before. I ate better. I'm still wearing the skinny pants. I learned a lot about nutrition, athletes and the human body. I read a lot of blogs. I'm a beginner. It was a good start. For me.

For the rest of triathlete society (I guess there is such a thing), it was pretty weak. I've been keeping better track of my running than anything else. Here is a chart of my mileage by week:

Umm, not exactly consistent. And far from the recommended mileage for a marathoner. My average weekly mileage was only around 10. That's the bare minimum base to start training. Yes, there was swimming and biking, but that was pretty minimal too.

I'm still going to have a laid-back approach to training in 2006. I have a pretty demanding job and I like sleep. I just need to kick it up a notch (or seven).

So, I'm working on a master plan. I've got multiple books and training plans, so I am trying to create a blend that will work for me. Gotta love the spreadsheet. A few things I thinkI will try:
- focusing on time (minutes/hours) instead of miles
- added intervals to my training instead of pounding out the laps or miles
- adding strength and core training
- spinning class (I don't like to bike ride in the city or in the cold)
- group rides (I found these great group bike rides here)
- a bike race (I think I will sign up for this)

Stay tuned for the plan.

The strike is on

2005-12-20T08:43:00.000-05:00

MTA workers are officially on strike - that means no subways or buses for the 7 million commuters who use them every day. I really didn't think it would come to this.

I decided today would be a good day to work from home. Go figure.

But I was out this morning to move my car to a legal space. With no buses, there was actually very little traffic. I didn't see any taxis - I'm sure it will be impossible to get one today. I did see people out on foot, bike, skateboard and razor scooter. Windchill is 8 degrees today - too cold to be out for a long walk. Husband has a long walk today. Cover your ears!

One thing I will say is that I feel like a real New Yorker. I have been here for:
- the Transit strike
- the Blackout
- the Marathon!
- Times Square on New Year's Eve
- the Village Halloween Parade
- Ice skating in Central Park
- Graduation in Washington Square
- the Internet boom
- the Crash
- And of course 9/11. Sigh. I still miss my pre-terror city.

There's also the little things, like:
- Seeing a friend's band at CBGB's
- Buying stuff on Craig's List
- Bagels (they really are better here)
- Pizza
- Roomates (glad that phase of my life is over, but actually it was fun)
- Tipping big
- After hours clubs (not in years and years)
- Celebrity sightings
- Street Meat
- Various protests and demonstrations
- Walk ups
- Brooklyn
- the B&T crowd

Riding the subway is one of those little things that makes it New York.

I'm feeling kind of been there, done that. Time to move? I'll miss it.

don't know my own strength

2005-12-19T16:05:00.000-05:00

On Saturday we went to a party at a friend's. Midway through the evening, I tripped on a step, fell in the hallway and . . . knocked a HOLE in the WALL of their nice new house. What the . . . ?

These kind of things happen more than I care to admit. Pulling a doorknob off, tugging on something until it breaks, that kind of thing.

I'd like to think it's due to my super-human strength, but sadly I know I am just kind of a klutz. Sigh.

Went to the gym yesterday - 50 minutes on the elliptical. Felt good to be back.

Races

2005-12-17T14:27:00.000-05:00

I missed my race this morning. A 15K in Central Park. I have a wide variety of excuses. My knee has been bothering me since last weekend. I am fighting a cold. We were supposed to go to brunch with some friends. Ended up sleeping until 10:30 - very unusual for me; I am usually up around 7 even on the weekends.

But I like the races. Crossing the finish line makes me feel good. They usually motivate me to get up and at 'em on a chilly weekend morning. There are many running races in Central Park - very convenient. Triathlons are a little harder to find.

I just signed up for a ton of races in January and February. Coming soon:

January 8 - Fred Lebow Classic (5M)
January 22 - Frostbite 10-Mile
January 28 - Manhattan 20K
February 5 - Gridiron Classic 4M
February 25 - Al Gordon Snowflake 4-Mile

Of course, I would do a lot better in these races if I actually did more running in between them. So, I am about to go out for a run by the river.

Feeling Christmas-y today . . . .

Registration Time - Message to Mom

2005-12-16T19:35:00.000-05:00

My mother came to watch me do the NYC marathon last month. She was feeling "all inspired" and agreed to do a race with me. However, she has put off commitment to any kind of training schedule until after the first of the year. OK. Fine.

The More Marathon is a women only, 40+ only marathon and half marathon in Central Park on March 26, 2006. It's super-convenient for me, being here in NYC and all. Mom likes having an excuse to come see her daughter in the Big Apple for a weekend. What could be better?

I (being under 40) can only participate as part of a 2 woman team. Ahem. I think we all know who my partner is.

Well, now it's time to commit. Mom, you need to register here for both of us. Then we'll talk.

Tough love, my friends. Tough love.

On the Road

2005-12-13T21:28:00.000-05:00

I've been doing a lot a travelling for work lately. Last week I went to Minneapolis and South Dakota. I've never been to Minneapolis before - I liked it. Sure, it was cold, but we stayed right downtown, and I like how they have a "Skyway" that connects all the building so you can walk, like 10 blocks, without going outside. I guess this makes life a lot easier when you live and work in a cold place. I was there for 3 days, so I got to see a little more than usual. It seems pretty cool. (Don't worry, Husband, I'm not campaigning for a move.)

South Dakota was like the North Pole. They had an ice storm recently, and all the roads still had black ice. I had to drive about 75 miles and everything was white - the sky, the snow, the road. It hurts your eyes. No thank you.

This week I'm in Seattle. One of my favorites. Staying at my regular hotel, and even went to the gym at 6:00 am. 30 minutes on the bike - my knee is still bothering me. The best thing about travelling to the West Coast is that I am finally a morning person!

I've noticed that French people pronounce it "See-tle". Kind of cute. Off to dinner!

Race Report: Joe Kleinerman 10K

2005-12-11T12:35:00.000-05:00

Well, I can hardly believe it myself, but I hit a personal record today. Nice!

It's funny. I haven't done anything since my 4 mile race last Saturday. I got up late. I considered not going. Husband gave me a shove. I forgot to wear a watch. I stopped and went to the bathroom - during the race. My knees hurt worse than on marathon day.

I was travelling this week, and never even looked up my times for previous 10K races. I've run two; both were pretty lousy:

- June 11 - Circle of Friends 10K in Central Park. Net time was 1:17:33. It was one of those really hot, humid days. I remember that the humidity was killing me and I walked a lot. Anyway, my pace was 12:30/mile.

- September 17 - Mighty Hamptons Triathlon. Net time was 1:18:25. Pace was 12:39/mile - pretty much the same as my other 10K, even though I did it after a somewhat traumatic swim and a 23 mile bike ride.

Anyway, here are today's results (drum roll, please):

Net time: 1:14:41
Pace/mile: 12:02

So, I cut almost 3 minutes off my best time! Hey, I'd like to cut off another 15-20, but it a start. In a universe of sucky times, this one sucks least. Yay!

Seriously, I am pretty happy - and so glad I dragged myself uptown this morning.

It's me

2005-12-04T11:51:00.000-05:00

Race Report: Holiday 4 Mile

2005-12-03T18:20:00.000-05:00

Well, I didn't get the PR I wanted. Guess I'll just get that out of the way. But here's what happened.

First of all, it was freezing! It was 32 degrees, cloudy and windy. I gues that isn't really that cold, but I haven't been running in anything less than 50 in almost a year. I got really chilled before the race.

I had to pick up my number between 8:00 and 9:00 am, at the New York Road Runners office on 89th Street. I got there at 8:25. There was a crowd, so you couldn't wait around inside. The race souvenir was a long-sleeved t-shirt, and I was happy to have the extra layer. I pinned my number on my shirt and attached my chip to my shoe outside in the cold, and walked briskly to the race start, about 3/4 mile away. I was at the race start by 8:45, but the race didn't start until 9:30. I tried to stretch and jog around a little to stay warm, but I was basically standing around for 45 minutes. Brr! In the past, I usually picked up my number the day before, so I could just show up 5-10 minutes before the race. A few people were wearing shorts - how do they do it?

Finally, the race started. I was at the first mile marker in just under 10 minutes. Then there were hills. There were some walk breaks. By the 3rd mile, I knew there would be no catching up to meet my 40 minute goal. Damn. Anyway, here are the numbers:

Net Time = 43:28:00
Pace/Mile = 10:52

As I mentioned the other day, I have run 2 other races at this distance.
- Feb 26. Net time = 43:36 , Pace/mile = 10:54
- April 24. Net time = 42:58, Pace/mile = 10:44

So I was in between my other 2 times. I really though I would do better. :(

In all fairness, however, I have to admit that I have done very little running since the marathon on November 6th. I left the house without stretching and got a sharp pain in my shoulder during the race. My knees are freaking killing me.

I thought I would walk home (about 4 miles) after the race just to get a little more exercise, but quit after about 5 blocks. Freezing wind + sweat = Instant misery. Sigh.

So, what did I learn from this?
- Consistency is key. I have been taking it easy for a month. Too easy - I have definitely lost some of my hard-won conditioning and endurance.
- Easy street is over. I need to set some goals - weekly and monthly - to get back on track.
- I need to learn to pace myself so I don't need walk breaks. I would have easily made my goal if I hadn't walked 3-4 times.
- If possible, avoid race day number and chip pickup. This was no problem back in the Spring. Big problem today.
- Get a hat that covers my ears!

I've got 2 more (longer) races this month (actually, I may have to miss one). Maybe I'll get a new PR yet.

Trips

2005-12-02T13:20:00.000-05:00

I have trips this month to Minnesota and South Dakota.

Northern Quebec is on the schedule for February.

I get cold just thinking about it.

Race on Saturday

2005-11-29T16:12:00.001-05:00

On Saturday, I'm running a 4 Mile Holiday Race in Central Park. Looking forward to it!

I have run 2 other races at this distance. Here are my times:
- NYRR Snowflake (Feb 26). Net time = 43:36 , Pace/mile = 10:54
- Thomas G. Labrecque Classic (April 24). Net time = 42:58, Pace/mile = 10:44

Although I have not been doing much running for the past few weeks, I still feel that I am in better shape than I was back in the Spring. I want a new PR!

My goal is 40 minutes even, which would cut 3 minutes off my last time. It seems like I do 10 minute miles all the time, so this should be doable. Of course, I never seem to do 10 minute miles on race day . . . Anything under that is a total bonus and will call for a celebration!

My race day strategy:
- Wear my new windstopper pants and layers. And gloves!
- Find that balaclava thing I have somewhere to keep my neck warm.
- Bring kleenex!
- Keep running!

Saturday's forecast is partly cloudy, high 44/low 36. I've been a baby by not running in the cold, but this should not be too bad.

Wish me luck!

Race on Saturday

2005-11-29T16:12:00.000-05:00

nothing much

2005-11-29T15:02:00.000-05:00

I haven't been posting, but I have been busy. I think I will go for a run today - it stopped raining and is actually somewhat warm. Did nothing yesterday. Was planning on swimming this weekend, but the pool was closed for the whole Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I did a workout tape and a bunch of squats in there. Thanksgiving morning I actually used the treadmill at our hotel.

I've been on an organizing/dejunkifying kick lately. Anyway, I have accomplished a few things:
- Organized our book collection (using the dewey decimal system, I swear) and culled a bunch that I know we will never look at again. All the sports/triathlon/running books are now on one shelf!
- Cleaned out the closet and given a ton of stuff to the Goodwill.
- Found a home for our bikes, which were leaning forlornly against the wall in the office.
- Ordered a real lateral file cabinet which will replace the crap plastic things and provide a home for the printer.
- Organized the linens (no grabbing full size sheets when I need a queen) and culled various sheets, towels and a surprising selection of curtains which we will never use again.

Husband says I'm a pack rat, but the truth is that I love getting rid of stuff. Maybe I save it so I can get rid of it later?

road trip

2005-11-23T11:33:00.000-05:00

Cranberry sauce. Check.
Bags packed. Check.
Tank filled. Check.
Extra food for cats. Check.
Snacks for the road. Check.

Well, we'll be off soon. Just waiting for the signal from Husband to come pick him up at the office.

Gridlock awaits.

My contribution this year

2005-11-22T09:42:00.000-05:00

Ingredients

2 oranges
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks (could also try fennel or white pepper for a less traditional flavor)
1 bag (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries

1. Peel 1 orange and cut the zest (orange part only) into a very fine julienne, as thin as possible; set aside. Squeeze both oranges for juice; set aside.
2. Combine sugar and lemon juice in a small sauté pan. Heat up slowly and continue cooking until the sugar begins to caramelize. If necessary, wash down the sides of the pan by brushing with a little water to keep the sugar from burning.
3. When the sugar is caramel colored, add the orange zest. Cook for about 1 minute, then add the cranberries, orange juice and cinnamon sticks. Continue to cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until the cranberries are slightly broken but not mushy (frozen cranberries will take about 7 minutes). Remove the cinnamon sticks and let cool.

Makes 3 cups.

Tastes better when made the night before.

Clueless

2005-11-20T12:03:00.000-05:00

Sunday morning. Puttering around the house in my pajamas. Hmmm . . . am I forgetting something?

Why yes, I was supposed to run a RACE this morning. Four miles in Central Park. No big whup. Completely, totally forgot all about it. Never picked up my number. Was up at 7 this morning. Had I been checked my email, blog, etc. earlier, I could have figured this out earlier and easily made it for the 10:00 race. Registered and paid for it a month ago. Hello?!?

Damn it, damn it, damn it. If I did four more NYRR races this year, I would have automatically had a spot in the 2006 marathon. I was planning to do this one, plus 3 in December. Damn!

Hopefully I would be able to get in with the lottery, like I did this year, but you never know.

I've been taking it easy since the marathon, but tried to get back in the swing this week.

Saturday & Sunday was the Total Immersion workshop
Wednesday I went for a short (2 mile) run around the neighborhood
Thursday I went to the gym and did 20 minutes on the elliptycal, followed by the 30 minutes weight program at my gym
Saturday I did a little bit of weights, followed by swimming (mainly drills) for 45 minutes.

I'm glad I got back in the pool, but swimming was a little bit of a disappointment. At the workshop, we counted strokes across the pool, and I went from 20 strokes to 12 - a nice improvement. Last night I ranged from 17 - 22. What happened?

Also bought some new gear yesterday - new swimsuit (my only one was starting to get worse for wear), new swim cap (lycra doesn't pull my hair so much), and a cold weather running outfit. Could have worn that today . . . had I shown up for my race. Grrr.

Looking forward to Thanksgiving. Looks like Mom and I will be walking in the snow.

Let the games begin!

2005-11-20T10:43:00.000-05:00

I just got back from a great walk with my loyal dog. Granted, it's about 50 degrees, sunny, just about a perfect Fall day. I'll need to find something inside me to do this when it's as cold and grey and wet as only Pittsburgh can get.

Some observations:

Yes, Daughter, I'm starting from scratch. But it does feel amazingly good to sweat and huff and puff a little. Yep. Really. I'm feeling like a million bucks right now.

Dog may not be a long term partner. I certainly can't keep up with her in a sprint, but I might have to carry her home after 1/2 hour. She loves going with me. I'm not sure how to break it to her. The Greyhound has a tender heart.

I'm not sure about the blog. I like the idea of tracking my journey, but I really don't have all that much to say. Or not that much of interest to anyone else.

Wish me luck. The 'get more fit; lose weight' has been on my list of New Year's Resolutions for many years. This year, I'm going to do it!

Advice for Mom

2005-11-17T14:17:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned previously, my mother is starting an exercise program. Mostly to improve her general fitness, but partly to prepare for to do a half marathon with me on March 26th, 2006. We can walk it, run it, or any combination of the two. She is in her 50's and has no serious health problems. She is also hoping to lose some weight. She lives the typical suburban lifestyle - drives everywhere and gets very little physical activity. So we are basically starting from scratch. (Sorry Mom, but it's true).

I am hoping to help her. I have gotten a lot of personal satisfaction out of training for triathlons and the marathon this year, and I think she will get something out of this too. I also have selfish reasons - I think being a good role model will help keep me on the straight and narrow. So, here are some tips to help her get started:

- Plan ahead. Pick out your gym clothes the night before, pack them in a bag and put it by the door or in the car so you don't have to deal with it in the morning.
- Try to do something active every day. You might not actually do it, but be prepared with gym clothes or whatever you need.
- Stretch every day. Just a 5-10 minute yoga-type routine, every day, helped me a lot, and I think it prevented soreness and injuries. When I started running, I figured out that it is impossible to stretch my calves too much. Sometimes I stretch against the wall while I am brushing my teeth. Or do squats.
- Eat frequent small meals. Yes, you've heard it before. Work snacks are a piece of fruit, a (small) cup of cereal, almonds, trail mix, carrots, etc. This is good advice for losing weight, but also for having enough energy to exercise. If I want to go to the gym after work, I need to have some snack or bar around 4:00 to make it happen.
- Eat salad for lunch at work. It's the most convenient time for me to get a salad in.
- Occasionally push yourself past your comfort zone. You should start with walking, but add intervals - jog 1 minute, walk 5, etc.
- Write down everything! As you know, I have lost very little (if any) weight. But it's been nice to lose 2 inches off my waist, a little off the arms, hips, etc. I wouldn't know that by looking only at the scale. Weight, body fat, measurement, etc. Check it every 1-2 weeks or so.
- Keep track of your workouts, too. If you worked out 3 times this week for 30 minutes, try to go 4 times next week. Or go 45 minutes one day.
- Read about what other people do to help give you ideas. Oh yes, and contribute to your daughter's blog. We could use some fresh content around here. ;-)

One last thing. When I was working on my MBA part-time, I was juggling a lot of things - work, school, relationship, a crazy-long commute, etc. People used to ask me how I did it, or say I must be so tired or have no social life. I thought about it, and realized that although I had to plan things a little more, my social life was as active as ever and I really wasn't falling being at work. What was missing? I must have taken away something to find all those hours for classes, studying, homework, etc., right? So what was missing? TV. That's right, I virtually stopped watching TV while I was in B-school. I never thought that I particularly watched a lot of TV, but really that's all I "gave up". Not a big loss. I feel pretty much the same way about the hours I have spent this year in the gym or swimming or biking or running. I certainly did not sacrifice anything of consequence. I gained more than I gave.

I hope this is helpful, not a lecture. Also, I suppose I could tell you tihs on the phone, but like I said, we need content for the blog.

Does anyone else have advice for Mom?

housekeeping

2005-11-15T10:16:00.000-05:00

I took care of a few blog maintenance issues today. I added Blogrolling, instead of manually adding a list of links. I have it set so any posts in the last 24 hours say "NEW", rather than clicking on links individually, only to land at a "stale" blog. It happens to the best of us.

I also added my Mother as a member to my blog. She can post if she wants, because she is now officially in training for a half marathon in March! Not sure if I am qualified to be a coach, but I'll try! I sent her a training program, pretty much lifted straight off the Internet, as well.

I love efficiency.

Goals

2005-11-14T18:31:00.000-05:00

Prepare yourself for a long, rambling post.

Now that I have a marathon and 3 triathlons under my belt (sort of), I've been thinking a lot about what to do next and setting some goals for 2006. First of all, what did I achieve this year?

- Swim. First, I learned that I didn't know how to swim, and that I actually have (had) a lot of anxiety/fear of drowning in the water. I didn't realize this until I started training. That being said, I did get a lot better this year, partly as a result of some classes, partly just by spending time in the water. The good news? I think this may be behind me. (Yay!) That TI workshop really made me feel like I could be good at this . . . maybe swimming will be my best sport, who knows?

- Bike. I bought a bike. Pretty important for a TRIathlete, yes? Late in the season. I got a lot better at riding it. My longest ride to date is still only 25 miles or so, but again, I think I got a taste of what this is supposed to feel like and actually enjoy it now.

- Run. I ran. Far. But I really didn't get any faster. Of course, I haven't done any interval training, and I really slacked on the marathon training program.

It's funny, but the main effect of all this working out and getting in shape really made me realize how OUT of shape I really was to start. I think I changed my life. I was heading in one "common man" direction, and I changed it. I never went that far down that road - I am generally healthy, at a healthy weight, fairly young, etc. I like this new direction better. And it really isn't that hard.

Of course, I am pretty laid back about training. More than I should be. But now, I've had a taste. And I wonder what my marathon time would have been if I actually followed the training program. Looking back, my maximum mileage in one week was only 22 miles. There were some zero running weeks. Yes, I probably did some cross training in there, but that is supposed to be my base. I'm just glad I didn't injure myself.

ANYWAY, back to goals:

- A Spring marathon. Can't believe I want to do it again. Considering Ocean City, Maryland on April 8th or Long Branch, NJ on April 30th. There is also one in Long Island on May 7th.

- The More Marathon is March 26th in NYC. This is for 40+ women only. I don't fit in that category yet, but I can do it with a partner. My mom has agreed to walk the half-marathon if I do it with her. I think this is a good goal for her, and a fun thing for us to do together. Plus, I would love to help her get in shape if I can. I am already creating a training plan for her, and I'll let her post on my blog if she wants. Mom, your training plan starts November 28th. Hope you don't regret it!

- I want to improve my triathlon time, and do another half marathon. Looking at an Olympic on May 20th, a Sprint on June 18th, and the Montauk Half IM in October. Maybe I can find a half IM earlier in the summer.

- I'd like to do a repeat of the NYC Marathon next November. It was so much fun!

- I want to run faster. I'd like to do a 5K in 30 minutes. A reasonable goal! I've got some 4 mile races, coming up. I think the shorter races and cooler weather should help me get in some speed training.

My marathon training plan (if I do Ocean City) starts December 10th. From now until then, I plan to focus on swimming (fresh out of TI, you know), weights, core, etc. Take a class or two. Yoga. Spinning. Pilates. Cardio Funk is a fun one I used to do back in the day. They all sound fun now.

One last thing. I didn't sign up (or have someone sign me up, since I was busy running the NYC Marathon) for IMFL. I thought about it. A lot. But, I think I realized that my body just isn't ready for that. It was the right decision for me, but I'm going to be so jealous when I read the race reports for IMFL and IMMOO next year!

Total Immersion

2005-11-14T09:58:00.000-05:00

This weekend, Husband and I attended a Total Immersion workshop in Queens. It was great! We talked about our swim goals, did many different drills, and critiqued videos of ourselves swimming. As an added bonus, the regularly scheduled swim coach ended up getting sick, so Terry Laughlin, the master himself, led the clinic with his daughter Fiona, who is also a swim coach.

I learned so much. We were videotaped several times, and let me tell you, the camera doesn't lie. I have read a little about Total Immersion, and watched some video before the class. Basically, I knew I should be swimming more on my side. Anyway, the first video showed that I was totally overcompensating and twisting the top half of my body way back. It wasn't pretty. The first time we were filmed, after a few drills, it took me 20 strokes to get across the pool (25 yards). On Sunday we were filmed again, and I got it down to 12! Husband also saw a significant improvement, from 14 to 10.

There were 12-13 people in the class. We were pretty advanced, compared to other classes. Most of us were triathletes. I was the only woman in the class. A couple people claimed to have swam (swum?) over 2 miles in open water. Many of the problems were the same - balance issues, anxiety/not relaxed, nervous kicking legs.

My shoulders are sore today, but I feel really good. Am actually looking forward to getting in the pool again. I really felt relaxed and comfortable in the water -- BIG change for me, as I am generally kind of a spaz and DNF's two triathlons because of my "swim issues".

I highly recommend the weekend classes to anyone who has ever considered it. www.totalimmersion.net. If you can't do that, there are several books and videos which are also quite helpful.

Recovery

2005-11-10T13:43:00.000-05:00

What recovery? I feel totally fine. Granted, it is Thursday, but I felt fine yesterday and Tuesday too. On Monday I took a vacation day and never left the house. Sunday night/Monday morning I slept for 12 hours. So maybe that's what cured me.

Seriously, though, I am a little surprised at how great I feel. A little chafing under the arms which is gone now. My knees and quads hurt on Monday, but by Tuesday I was just a little stiff.

My feet are a wonder to me. Not a blister, bruise or damaged toenail. They are ready for sandals in South Beach. I guess I have my shoes to thank. The Asics GT2100 in size 9A are the shangri-la of footwear. (Unfortunately, this model has recently been discontinued. I hope the replacement meets my high expectations!)

When can I do it again?

Today's the day

2005-11-08T08:02:00.000-05:00

Bloomberg by a landslide, please.

Still smiling

2005-11-07T16:19:00.000-05:00

At Mile 22

NYC Marathon Race Report

2005-11-07T11:54:00.000-05:00

First of all, it was awesome! I had a great time and I don't think I smiled so much since my wedding day. But here are the details.

Pre-Race

On Saturday I went to the Expo with Mother. It was extremely well organized, and I really didn't even wait in line to get my number. The only downside was that only size L and XL shirts were left in the goody bags. I bought a T-shirt (size S), some gels, a pair of gloves for winter running and disposable Tyvek jacket and pants to wear in the morning over my race clothes.

We had an early pasta dinner at home. I put out all my race stuff and strategized with husband on where to meet during the race. I finally went to bed around 10:30 the night before. I was really keyed up and didn't get much sleep. I wore my race shirt to bed in an effort to prevent chafing. (It didn't really work, unfortunately.)

The alarm went off at 5:00. It took a few minutes, but I dragged myself out of bed after a few minutes. Let Husband sleep, and went to make breakfast. Mother stayed with us to come to the race, so I couldn't really avoid waking her up. Cats were happy to see me. Breakfast was a cup of tea with honey and 2 slices of whole wheat toast with almond butter and sliced bananas.

Left the house at 6:00. Took a taxi to Battery Park, where the Marathon buses were loading. I was on a bus by 6:20, and in Staten Island by 7:00. It was really foggy, and you couldn't see anything off the side of the Verrazzano.

The volunteers cheered when we got off the bus! This was the first of many times throughout the day when I got a little choked up. So, it's 7:00 am and the race doesn't start until 10:10. Not much to do. I tried to rest and laid down on the cold, wet grass. Brr. I waited in line for the port-o-potty multiple times. I did some stretching. I read part of someone's New York Times. I ate a yogurt smoothie, a cup of tea, a bagel, a glass of gatorade and two bottles of water. I think I ate too much. More on this later.

At 9:50, I got rid of the Tyvek pants and head for my spot in line to get on the bridge. Woo-hoo!

The Race

Well, they loaded us up on to the Verrazzano. I thought it might be really windy up there, but the air was foggy and muggy; kind of stagnant. The crowd was excited and happy and friendly. Someone sang the National Anthem. A big BOOM!, and we all start moving forward, to the tune of Frank Sinatra singing "New York, New York!" People sang along. I got a little choked up again.

Crossing the bridge went so fast, but I started getting really hot right away because of the humidity. It was so foggy you couldn't really see anything off the sides of the bridge. Although someone pointed out the fireboats spraying down below. That was cool.

Of course, you could see all the guys lining up to pee off the side. What is up with that? Gentlemen. New York City is not a giant urinal. If I can wait in line for the port-o-potty, so can you.

Welcome to Brooklyn! The crowd was so amazing! People were out hooting and hollering, kids stuck their hads out to get high fives, people cheered your name. The crowd was definitely the most amazing part. They offered water, orange slices, candy, ice, paper towels. They tell us not to take anything from the crowd, but still, it's pretty nice.

There was so much music. I read that there were over a hundred bands on the course. From Latin to Motown to Rap to Rock to Bluegrass. The music really helped me keep running.

I saw Husband and Mother around Mile 8. Gave them hugs. Gave them my jacket. Feeling good. See you in Greenpoint at Mile 12! I saw them at Mile 8,12,18 and 22. That was another big motivator. Counting down the blocks before I knew to look for them really helped keep my focused and gave me something to look forward to. Also, I didn't want them to see me walking. ;-)

Brooklyn was my favorite part, because there was so much diversity in the different neighborhoods. Each one had it's own flavor and music. The signs on the businesses might be in Spanish, Chinese, Hebrew, Polish, etc. Also, there were big crowds in Brooklyn. I love New York!

When I was crossing the Pulaski Bridge into Queens, I got a stitch in my side. This was no ordinary cramp. It was a really stabbing pain. I thought an alien was going to burst out. I walked. I stopped and stretched my calves on a curb. I tried to run . . . ouch! I walked some more. Basically I walked about 85% of the way between Miles 13 and 16. That kind of sucked.

That little part in Queens is boring, then you get on the Queensboro Bridge. The bridges were the hardest part. Many people would start walking, especially the uphill first half of the bridge. There were no spectators on the bridges. You are on the lower beck on the Queensboro, and it was dark and quiet. Someone said, "This is like a death march." There are 5 bridges on the course.

I started running again when I came down the ramp into Manhattan at 59th Steet. Randomly, I saw a friend of mine on the sidelines at 68th Street. She called out my last name to get my attention. I wasn't expecting her, and I gave her a big hug. Kept running up to 96th Street, where I'd see Husband and Mother.

Mile 18 and feeling good! Way better than my alien-style cramping back in Queens. Husband ran with me a little bit. See you on Fifth Avenue!

Up, up, uptown. Welcome to the Bronx! This section was short, but fun. Lots of competing music. I got a killer cramp again up here, on the left side this time. I think I drank/ate too much. I was so worried about "hitting the wall" that I had 5 gels plus gatorade, water, etc during the race, in addition to my supersized-sized breakfast. In the second half of the race, I tried to only take every other water stop.

When I crossed the bridge back to Manhattan, I got a little choked up again. The "Rocky" them was playing, the crowd was cheering. Someone said, "You're almost there! You're going to make it!" I realized, "I know! I am going to make it!"

Down, down, downtown. Saw Husband and Mother one last time at E. 96th Street. Now I'm walking up hills and running down. My knees hurt. The bottoms of my feet. My left hip. Can't stop now. Into the Park. Still walking up, running down. I didn't walk at all during the last 1.2, though. A lot of people were. The crowd said, "That's it - finish strong!" Half mile. 800 meters. 400 meters. I could see the clock, and thought I could still come in under 6 hours. I sprinted the last 200 yards. The crowd went wild. (At least, I like to think so.)

My net time was 5:59:03. So I'm not exactly fast. But I did it!

Crossing the Bridge

2005-11-03T17:46:00.000-05:00

From the marathon website -- sounds a little scary, but cool!

After months of training, you’ll soon take your first steps in the ING New York City Marathon. And what a setting! There you’ll be, atop the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world, with 36,000 other runners. Take time to marvel at this wonder of engineering and ponder these interesting facts:

The bridge is 13,700 feet or 2.7 miles long, including approaches. It is the longest span in North America, the seventh longest worldwide.

At mid-channel, the upper deck of the bridge is approximately 260 feet above the Narrows, and the lower deck is approximately 237 feet above the water. Seasonal expansion and contraction of the cables lowers the height of the deck by 12 feet in the summer. No matter what the temperature, the center of the bridge is the highest point of the marathon.

The bridge towers are 693 feet tall. Each weighs 27,000 tons and is held together by 3 million rivets and 1 million bolts. The towers are 1 5/8ths inches farther apart at the top than at the bottom to account for the curvature of the Earth.

Car drivers pay $9 to drive across the bridge; Staten Island residents receive a discount.
The bridge is named for Giovanni da Verrazano, the first European to sail in New York Harbor. He arrived in 1524.

Pedestrians and cyclists are normally banned from the bridge. The only exceptions are the ING New York City Marathon and Five Borough Bike Tour. This year, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is featured on the participant T-shirt and the official medal given to all finishers.

The first New York City Marathon to use Staten Island and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge as its start was in 1976.

well, I guess I'm ready

2005-11-03T09:25:00.000-05:00

Nothing to do now but wait. Doo doo dodoo. Tap tap tap. This makes for excellent blogging, I'm sure.

Here are some of my waiting activities:

I check the forecast for Sunday - a daily ritual for the past week. 60s with a chance of rain. Go away, rain! But still, pretty good.

I bought a new dri-fit t-shirt to wear. It's actually a little on the tight side. I'm planning to wash it and sleep in it at least one night. Someone told me that helps prevent chafing on marathon day.

I'm planning to go to the Expo at the Javits Center tomorrow morning to pick up my number.

Mom is coming to town on Saturday afternoon and staying with us. I tidy up a bit.

I think about what I'm going to wear. Blue is my color. I've got a baby blue tee, navy blue shorts. Even my shoes are white and blue. Hat. Sunglasses. I think I need to wear my fuel belt to have a place for gels, etc., but it has caused some pretty serious chafing on my other long runs.

I read my daily tip on the marathon website. Today's is about having flexible goals. That's OK with me. Since I have never done this distance before, I really only have a rough idea of when I'll finish. Somewhere between 4.5 and 6 hours. Now that's flexible!

I bought letters to spell my name on my shirt so people with cheer my name. I am such a dork.

I take my vitamins. Multi plus "Triflex" (glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. I've been pretty vigilant lately. Knees don't fail me now!

I think about my schedule for race day. Althought the race starts at 10:00, I need to get up so freaking early, because the start is in Staten Island and the marathoners all need to get there before the roads are shut. So, tentatively:

5:00 am. Wake up. Eat breakfast involving whole wheat toast and almond butter. Drink coffee. Go to the bathroom. Very important on race day. Enough said.

5:30 am. Leave house. Take a taxi to Manhattan bus stop. Marathon buses leave continuously between 5:00 and 7:00 am. I'm sure there will be huge lines, so I hope to leave on the early side. I should take no more 15 minutes to get there.

6:32 am. Sunrise expected. I guess I'll watch the sunrise on the bus. The bus takes us to a park called Fort Wadsworth in Saten Island.

7-7:30 am. If all goes as planned, I should be in Staten Island by now. They'll have food and music and free massages and bathrooms, but basically we'll just be standing around for hours.

Since I think I'll get cold out here, I'll wear a warmup jacket and pants over my running shirt and shorts. These will probably be "disposable" - they have bins for this stuff which gets donated to charity. If I take them off fairly early, I may be able to check in my bag to be picked up at the family reunion area.

8:00 am. Athletes with disabilities start.

9:00 am. Wheelchair and handcycle athletes start.

9:40 am. People like me start moving on to the Verrazzano bridge. Will it be windy up there? Will we have a spectacular view of the city? Will we be crammed in like sardines? I'm in the "orange" start. I think this is known as the "slowpoke" section. Husband will probably be awake by now.

10:10 am. And we're off!

Cross the Verrazano Bridge to Brooklyn! Up 4th Ave in Brooklyn. Bay Ridge. Sunset Park. Greenwood Cemetery. Bed-Stuy. Williamsburg. Greenpoint. Neighborhoods with a lot of personality.

Across the Pulaski Bridge. Long Island City, Queens. Warehouses. Still pretty industrial, I think.

Across the Queensboro to Manhattan! The Upper East Side. Harlem.

Across the Willis Avenue Bridge to the Bronx! Not much to see here, so . . .

. . . Turn around and take the Madison Avenue Bridge to Manhattan! Yankee Stadium. Down Fifth Avenue along Museum Mile. Central Park. Leave the Park and head west on 59th Street. Tons of people and TV cameras here. Turn back into the park at Colombus Circle and to the finish! Woo-hoo!

I have lived in NYC for 14 years now, and I know the course well. I think I have travelled most of it at one time or another - walking, shopping, in a taxi. But this is definitely an awesome tour. I'm really pyched again!

OK, back to work.

marathon obsessing

2005-10-26T10:07:00.000-04:00

I've been resisting it, but I think it is time. 11 days! Omigod it's almost here. I saw a commercial last night for the TV coverage and got goosebumps.

My training lately has been limited, to say the least. I sort of get and run around the neighborhood once in a while and that's it. I like to tell myself I'm tapering, but it's more like sloth. But, I still think that I'll be fine. This is my first marathon, and I just want to finish. And I don't have the same kind of anxiety about running that I do about swimming and biking. So if I take some walk breaks, I'm okay with that.

I'm going to have a few fans out there! Definitely Husband and Mother. I think a friend from work and another friend and her kids are also going to show up as well. So I'm trying to figure out the best places to send them so I can see them during the race. I got some info from the marathon website, and I kow I'll be running somewhere between 10:00 and 12:00 minute miles.

1. Mile 8 in Brooklyn , where the three starts converge, is suggested as a great place to catch runners looking fresh for photographs.

** I should be at Mile 8 between 11:30 and 11:46.**

2. Mile 16 is also supposed to be an exciting spot, because this is where the mmarathoners descend the Queensboro Bridge into Manahttan. But, the street will be packed here, and I probably won't be able to spot anyone in the crowd.

3. Mile 18 is probably a better bet. "For less-obstructed viewing, head north to mile 18, on First Avenue at East 92nd Street , by taking uptown 4/5/6 subway to 86th Street and walking north and east. Your runner may be looking decidedly less fresh here than back in Brooklyn; the dreaded marathon “wall” typically occurs as marathoners run out of fuel between miles 18 and 22." Mom, I may look terrible, but it's almost over!

**I should be at mile 18 between 1:10 and 1:46. Calculate my pace when you see me at mile 8 to try and narrow down the time a bit.**

4. Mile 24. "After yelling encouragement and snapping pictures, walk west to catch your marathoner yet again, this time on Fifth Avenue in the 24th mile, just north of where runners enter Central Park."

**I should be at Mile 24 between 2:10 and 2:58. Basically an hour and change after you see me at mile 18.**

Mother, here's a list of what to bring:

Comfortable walking shoes
Bright, layered clothing
Lightweight, water-resistant jacket or poncho
Snacks/drinks
Camera with high-speed film
Reliable wristwatch
All-day, unlimited ride MetroCard
ING pace band (I'll get this at the Expo)

What if it rains? Or snows? What should I wear? (Always an important question.)

It's almost here!

the pounds

2005-10-24T13:58:00.000-04:00

It seems like the off season might be a good time to focus on losing a few. It's definitely on the minds of my fellow bloggers, anway, and never far from mine.

So, even though I am pretty undisciplined about my training, I have to admit that I have seen some results. I did a little shopping the other day. I went down a size! :) Yes, the salesgirl informed me that the suit I was trying on was just much too big. They probably changed the sizing scale, but I have to admit, I was pretty pleased with myself.

I still haven't lost any weight, but I've lost inches from my waist and thighs. I have the body fat scale, and that's down too. But, still nowhere near my "fighting weight." I'd like to lose 20 pounds to get there. Actually, 10 might do it if I get more muscular.

Everyone knows that there is a huge (no pun intended) obesity epidemic in this country. Most of us just eat way too much junk food, and too much of it. I actually eat very little junk food. Really! I like sweets, but try to cut processed junk and high fructose corn syrup out completely. It's amazing, how HFCS is in everything, once you start looking at labels. The food I eat is much healthier than it was a year ago. But no one's perfect.

Here are the things I need to work on:

Portion control. I tend to just eat whatever Husband is eating, and pretty much the same amount. He's six inches taller than I am and all muscle. I don't need the same number of calories. I actually think this is the downfall of most married women - I definitely ate less before we moved in together.
Frequent small meals. I am much happier when I eat frequently. I definitely notice blood sugar highs and lows. But I can't have the normal size breakfast, lunch and dinner; then add healthy snacks on top of that. I guess that goes back to portion control.
Booze. I cut out hard liquor, but I drink wine with dinner almost every night. I don't need the extra calories. I should cut this back to twice a week, or weekends only.
Eating out. Restaurants give you bigger portions, and eat more apps and dessert that I don't need than I ever would at home. Cooking at home is healthier and good for the "money diet" too.
Eating late. Also have a tendency to eat late and fall asleep. Work schedules make it difficult, but want to shoot for 7, not 9.

Also, I want to reshape my bod a little bit. Swimming has firmed up the arms and shoulders. Running has shaped my calves and quads. But my core is . . . neglected, and the backs of my legs seem unbalanced with the front. Would also like to see more results on the arms. So, I think I need to start lifting weights.

OK, enough body obsession for now. Better get back to obsessing about the marathon.

Excuses

2005-10-21T13:06:00.000-04:00

I'm supposed to be tapering, as opposed to just quitting completely. I haven't been doing anything! And the NYC marathon is in, gulp, 15 days. My main excuse has been work. Actually work-related travel. Makes it really hard to get in the workouts.

This week was a travel nightmare. I have to share because it really reached the point of ridiculousness. Tuesday morning I had a 6:00 am flight to Austin. I get up at 4:15 and tear off to the airport. Just in time. Trying to check in at one of the kiosks, which won't process my boarding pass. Talk to the agent and realize . . . I am at the WRONG AIRPORT. Flight was out of LaGuardia, and here I am in Newark. The car just wanted to go there. Maybe so I could fill up cheap in New Jersey. No, I have never done this before.

So, they put me on a later flight leaving from Newark. I should still get there in time for lunch and my 1:30 meeting. I immediately fall asleep when I board the plane. Wake up 1.5 hours later feeling refreshed and . . . still on the runway in Newark. Ugh. But I got there. No time for lunch (I scarfed down a granola bar), but just made my meeting. The conference would last until Wednesday afternoon.

I was originally planning to leave Thursday morning, but realized I should be able to just make a flight out Wednesday afternoon and spend the night at home with Husband. Plus, my Thursday am ticket has me going in to LaGuardia, while my car is in Newark; so I had to make changes anyway. I won't even get into all the machinations required and hold music endured to get that ticket.

I make my Wednesday afternoon flight with time to spare. But it isn't direct; I have a connection at Chicago O'Hare. My fellow travelers know that this spells trouble. Anyway, we land with plenty of time to spare, but SIT ON THE RUNWAY with no gate for nearly an HOUR. Long story short, I miss my connection. United gives me a voucher for something resembling the Bates Motel. To add insult to injury, it was a smoking room.

Up again a 4:15 to make a 6:00 am flight. Glad to be home.

home again

2005-10-16T11:55:00.000-04:00

It's been a long week. Left on Sunday for a whirlwind European tour which meant jet lag, a flight every day, big meals, etc. Got some new stamps on my passport, which always makes me feel very "jet set". Was also fighting a cold the whole time and ingested an entire box of decongestants in four days. Anyway, I dutifully brought my running clothes and hoped to run at least 2x, but it never happened.

Got home Friday afternoon. Sweetheart Husband picked me up at the airport. Rain, rain; apparently it hadn't stopped raining since Saturday. I don't like to run in the rain, but decided I should get out and do something - time before the marathon is running out, you know. Ran 2 miles in a pretty heavy downpour on Friday. People look at you like you're crazy. Fell asleep around 8 PM.

Saturday was to be my last long run before the marathon - 20 miles. Since I have literally been doing next to nothing lately, I mapped out a course of 18 miles, including a good bit of the Manhattan section of the marathon.

It was awesome. The rain stopped, the sun came out, and it was a crisp 65 degrees. Went uptown to the 59th Street bridge - the point where in 20 DAYS the marathoners will come into Manhattan from Queens at Mile 16. I've heard this is one of the most exciting parts of the race. The last part of Queens is an industrial area with few spectators, the bridge is covered and eerily quiet, and there is a huge crowd when you come down off the bridge into Manhattan. The rush you get here will keep you going for a few miles. I tried to imagine this as I kept following the course up 1st Avenue.

Instead of heading all the way up into the Bronx (not exactly scenic), I cut left on 96th Street and into Central Park at 90th Street - Mile 24 of the race, another exciting part because then I'll know I'm almost there. Also one of the hilliest parts of the race - the hills aren't huge, but I know I'll be feeling them on marathon day. Instead of heading South, I did the upper loop of the Park up to 110th Street - was afraid I'd be tempted to head home if I got back down to 59th Street. There is no traffic allowed in the Park on weekends and there were tons of bikers and runners out. It had the Fall smell of leaves. Nice.

On the way back down the West Side, I headed into the center of the park just to explore a little - even living in NY, I really don't know the Park that well. Body starting to ache a bit at this point as well, and thought a softer path might be easier on the joints. Inadvertently found myself on the Bridle Path (Pardon me, Mr. Ed), and then ran smack dab into the Reservoir. Everyone runs around the Reservoir. Except me, until now.

Well, it was lovely. A flat, packed surface and there is something so nice about looking at water when you run. I looked online, and it turns out that each loop is 1.55 miles. I should have done a few more loops, because I felt great on the path, but realized I was pooped as soon as I got off. I did 2 loops, found a water fountain, and headed South.

Was planning to do 1.5 loops around the whole Park, but once I started heading South, my body started sending me urgent messages. Once I reach my "limit", everything starts to hurt - knees, hips, calves, bottoms of my feet. Anyway, I ran/walked the rest of the way home, and it turns out I only went about 15 miles. OK.

So that's it. My last long run before the big day. I am definitely "long-run-deficient" in my training. I've done one 18 miler, and only a smattering of runs over 10 miles. That's not just recently -- that's in my whole life! My hydration/nutrition on this run was weak - I didn't have my fuel belt, so I stopped for a gatorade after an hour, then had a gel another 45 minutes later. A few water fountain sips. I still feel dehydrated today, but not nearly as sore as I was after my first 15 mile or 18 mile run.

Looking forward to marathon day!

shore dinner

2005-10-09T12:10:00.000-04:00

Husband and I (well, mainly Husband) prepped the classic shore dinner Friday night. I guess the season is really over.

big ideas

2005-10-07T18:24:00.000-04:00

Husband and I had a nice bike ride last night. We left around 5:30 and went around 20 miles, up to a overlook with a great view, along the flats, and back. It started getting misty on the way back, and was getting dark and foggy earlier than usual. I don't know about you, but this makes me nervous on a bike, as cars aren't really looking out for bikers anyway. As a result, I pedalled my heart out and got us home in record time.

I was hoping to run "long" tomorrow morning, but I checked the forecast, and it's supposed to pour. A little sprinkle wouldn't kill me, but it looks like a decent-sized storm. Sigh. I am long-run-deficient with the marathon coming up. We need to head back home to the city anyway.

On Sunday I start a whirlwind of travel to let's see, 4 countries in 4 days. So it's going difficult to exercise, much less blog. But, I plan to persevere. We'll see how it goes. I'm fighting a cold, and sleep is very important to me. But, hotels do have gyms these days, and I am usually somewhat successful at working out when I travel.

So, here are some big ideas:

Total Immersion workshop. I am totally psyched about this. Full report in November.
Various real estate scenarios. Husband and I toy with a new one every week.
Cycling tour of Tuscany in the spring. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Did a little research, and it sounds right up my alley. Cycle 30-75 miles per day, eat great food and drink chianti at night. Husband is totally into it.
Trip to California for Christmas/New Year's. Can't really claim this as my idea, but I think it's going to be a blast. Planning to drive down the coast -- one of those things I've always wanted to do.
Joining a runners club. After the marathon. Have found a few I am considering.
Joining a triathlete club. Yep, there is one of those too.
Ironman Florida 2006. Yes, I said it. And I am toying with it. My biggest concern is finding the time to train.

the mood

2005-10-07T16:21:00.000-04:00

Had this song in my head all day . . .

Nobody on the road
Nobody on the beach
I feel it in the air
The summer's out of reach
Empty lake, empty streets
The sun goes down alone
I'm drivin' by your house
Though I know you're not at home

But I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
You got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

I never will forget those nights
I wonder if it was a dream
Remember how you made me crazy?
Remember how I made you scream
Now I don't understand what happened to our love
But babe, I'm gonna get you back
I'm gonna show you what I'm made of

I can see you-Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
I see you walkin' real slow and you're smilin' at everyone
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

Out on the road today, I saw a DEADHEAD sticker on a Cadillac
A little voice Inside my head said, "Don't look back. You can never look back."
I thought I knew what love was
What did I know?
Those days are gone forever
I should just let them go but-

I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
You got that top pulled down and that radio on, baby
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
You got that hair slicked back and those Wayfarers on, baby
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

seasons change

2005-10-05T13:45:00.000-04:00

I love the changing of the seasons. On Monday I went for a nice long run in Camp Hero park. I haven't run there for at least a month, because I've been trying to practice on the Mightyman course, or "going long" in the opposite direction. But it's one of my favorite places.

I took it slow and jogged around the sights in the park - the bluff overlook, the radar tower, the old barracks, and of course, the lighthouse. There were at least 100 fishing boats just offshore. I like cruising around the dirt roads and a few narrow trails. With the exception of fisherman coming and going, the park was almost empty. I like the crunching noise of the leaves, although we don't have full fall colors yet.

It's a cool place. Many strange experiences have been reported here. Check it out here.

Which do you want first?

2005-10-02T18:56:00.000-04:00

The good news or the bad news?

The good news is pretty good. I finished the swim! I swam farther than I ever have in my life. I kept going, I didn't quit. I was tired and my arms were like noodles, but I finished it. 1.2 miles. I think Husband was actually pretty impressed. Also, since I never seem to swim in a straight line, I probably covered at least 1.5 miles. Husband followed me around the pond and snapped my picture when I dragged myself out.

The bad news is that I missed the cut-off time for the swim. Started at 7:05, got out ~8:20. I knew I was last, but planned to "keep going until someone stops me". Unfortunately, someone did. I got back to the sea of empty racks as fast as I could and stripped off my wetsuit.

The race director came over and said that he couldn't let me back on the course. "Really?" "Sorry, but we have time limits on the roads. I need your chip."

:-(

OK.

But, I still feel good. I swam. Far. And maybe exorcised a personal demon, since I quit on the swim in my last try.

NYC Marathon, here I come.

Almost Here

2005-09-30T10:34:00.000-04:00

Welp, I checked the forecast, and Sunday morning will be a slightly brisk 53 degrees, with a high of 75 for the day. Clear. West wind at 5mph. Sounds pretty perfect, actually.

I'm just going to break it down one more time.

A little info from the website:

This course is challenging. The swim is a 1.2 mile rectangle in a protected pond and unless it is windy, will be very calm. Water temperature will be in the mid 60's and a wetsuits are allowed. The bike is a rolling hills ride that consists of a two 28 mile laps with a water station at mile 28. The run is a two 6.55 mile loop that is a combination of flat and challenging hills like "murder hill". Aid stations each 1.5 mile.

Cut-off times, from start: Swim - 1 hour, Bike - 4:30 hours, finish 8:00 hours (3:00 PM).

So, I'm just going to be trying to stay ahead of the cut-off times.

The swim: 1.2 miles. It's within the realm of possibility. I have done some swimming in this lake, although not enough, because there are often fisherman there. No waves, current or salt; so hopefully my freak-out potential will be low. My strategy is simple: Keep Going. No stopping or looking back. 90% freestyle. Breastroke for sighting and Side stroke for catching my breath is okay, but that's it. No backstroke! And no stopping, looking back, or looking at lifeguards. The wetsuit makes me float, I just need to propel it forward.

The bike: 56 miles. So, assuming I make it the cut-off time for the swim, I need to pedal my butt off on the bike. In my last tri, I averaged only 15mph on the bike. Need to do more like 18-20 in this one, and the hills are MUCH bigger. (2200 Total feet of elevation gain. ) However, I know the course well, and it helps me a lot when I know a hill is coming so you can build up a little momentum going in. The course is beautiful, the roads are good, and there are certain "destinations" built in - the lighthouse, the beach, Gosman's - which will help keep me going. My nutrition/hydration strategy is to wear my camelback for water, and have a gel every 45 minutes. Admittedly, I am undertrained, and this will be my longest bike ride ever. My butt is going to hurt when I'm done -- big time.

The run: 13.1 miles. So, assuming I make the cut-off time for the bike, you guessed it, start running. The first 3 miles of the run are pretty flat, which is good because it will probably take me that long to get my legs working again. "Murder Hill" is no joke - it is short, but pitched like a double diamond ski slope. 806 Total feet of elevation gain. If I make it this far, I know I'm going to be slow. I don't care about that.

I'm just going to keep going until somebody stops me.

I love Montauk, and I think this is going to be really fun, no matter what happens. But it will be extra sweet if all goes well.

Things to remember:

Eat gels like they're going out of style
Hydrate
Apply vaseline to chafe-prone parts. (around the neck (wetsuit) & under the arms)
Use gel (the other kind) and hairspray in attempt to keep the braids from falling out
Sunscreen
Running hat
Something long-sleeved for the bike? I think I might get cold - it is windy by the water and I'm starting out wet. However, this will be a pain to remove as I plan to wear the Camelback backpack.
When in doubt, have a gel
Give Husband a great big kiss!

OK. I'm ready.

quotes

2005-09-27T19:30:00.000-04:00

Two quotes I have come across recently basically sum up my feelings about Sunday's HALF IRONMAN race:

Found in a recent issue of Runners World:

"Inside of a ring or out, ain't nothing wrong with going down. It's staying down that's wrong."
-- Muhammed Ali

From Nancy's blog:

TAKE A CHANCE
"If you think there’s a 50/50 chance of success or better, then go for it."
--Mira Kirshenbaum, Psychotherapist

Wish me luck!

Giancarlo

2005-09-27T19:20:00.000-04:00

This is Husband's bike, a Colnago. I really know nothing about bikes, but it looks cool to me!

the weekend

2005-09-26T11:24:00.000-04:00

I really appreciate the encouraging comments on my last post about the race. Thanks everyone, for your support.

Well, I've pretty much decided to "do it for fun" or as a "training day". I'm not really too worried about injuring myself. There are people who will drag themselves across the finish line with a broken leg, but I really don't think I am one of those people. I'm more likely to stop and call a taxi. A mixed blessing, I guess. I would probably be faster and miss fewer workouts if I pushed harder. But, I haven't hurt myself either, and I've improved exponentially anyway.

Last week was a bit of a bust and I really did nothing all week. Party on Thursday. Exhausted on Friday. Slept late Saturday. Didn't do my usual Saturday morning run, but did go for a nice bike ride with Husband. About 20 miles, sticking to bits of the Mightyman Montauk course. Pretty damn convenient how it goes past our house. It was nice biking together, and I finally tried out my Camelback. I love it! I usually don't drink on bike rides until I am super thirsty because getting to the bottle seems like such a PIA. I think this was the first longer ride I've done where I actually WASN'T dehydrated at the finish. Definitely plan to wear in my upcoming race.

Now that we're a "biking family", Husband invested in a new bike, too. His is a little fancier than mine. I think we should name it "Giancarlo". (tried to upload a pic but it's not working for some reason. as you might guess, he's italian).

Sunday I ran a good chunk on the course, but quit a little early as I was having "gut issues". Egg wrap and a smoothie for breakfast - what was I thinking? Especially the fruity, yogurty smoothie. Definitely have to stick with my standy in future - whole wheat toast + peanut or almond butter. But I still went 10 miles, and finished strong - it was the middle where I was feeling a little ucky.

After the run, I went out in the lake to paddle around and hopefully desensitize myself about swimming. It was a little nippy out, and this Lake (different from the race course) has a channel out to the Atlantic and thus a slight current. Also a ton of clamshells on the bottom - I should have worn my reef booties. Anyway, I didn't wear my wetsuit because I was just going to take a little dip and swim out to a particular buoy and back - maybe 200 yards. I think my wetsuit is actually a security blanket for me in open water. I got a little freaked out, never made it to the buoy, turned around, and basically ran back to the house. Clearly, I have issues. Sigh.

Husband and I signed up for a Total Immersion workshop in November. Boy, am I hoping this will help me. I really want to be a good swimmer now.

Should I . . . .

2005-09-22T13:07:00.000-04:00

. . . . Get back on the horse?

The Mightyman Montauk race is NEXT weekend. This is a half Ironman distance - 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run.

This was always going to be a stretch for me. And in all honesty, I really haven't trained for it. After my rather dismal performance in the Olympic distance marathon, most of me thinks I should drop out. I wish I had more time to train. Like a year.

But, I'm having trouble making a decision. Here are the pros and cons:

Pros:

I'm much more familiar with the course.
I've already paid the registration fee.
The swim is in a pond - unlikely to be choppy.

Cons:

Drowning.
Getting hurt.
Being embarrassed.
I'm more familiar with the course, but I haven't actually done the whole thing. And I won't have time before the race.
My longest bike ride ever was 30 miles, not 56. My longest swim is not anywhere near 1.2 miles.
The swim is basically across the pond and back. If I decide to quit, I am either in the middle of a lake or on the other side of it, not near a beach alongside the transition area. The entry/exit area is a boat landing ramp. The other sides of the pond are sort of marshy.
Maybe I should "save it" for the Marathon.
There's always next year.

Regardless of what I decide to do, I really need to work on my swimming this Fall/Winter. I really have some kind of irrational phobia. I'm considering hypnosis. Actually, I am more likely planning to take a Total Immersion workshop, or another swimming class.

Any advice?

Here are some pictures from the Mighty Hamptons tri. Those shorts really don't do me any favors.

Mighty Hamptons Race Report - the end

2005-09-20T22:46:00.000-04:00

Finally, the run. Didn't mean to build so much suspense. Just had a little business trip and no time to write.

Put my bike on the rack. Sucked down the gel which I had thoughtfully placed in my running shoe. Husband gave me a little cheer when I headed out. I kept running until I got out of sight. My right calf hurt, giving me a funny, off-kilter stride. Ran 8 minutes, Walked 3, Ran 6, Walked 2. And so on, until I got to mile 2. Maybe that's when the gel kicked into, because I ran (albeit slowly) the rest of the way. I passed a few people. Many the old and infirm. Sigh.

Had another gel at mile 4. Husband was waiting about a 1/4 from the finish. I gave him a big hug -- "You're disgusting!", he said, but it seemed funny at the time.

I felt good when I crossed the finish line. Like I could do it again.

So, I'm pretty disappointed that I didn't finish the swim. But I'm glad I did the other parts of the race, if only so I know what to expect next time.

The official results are posted. Um, I suuuuck.

Swim: no time recorded
Bike: 1:40:55 (Place = 768) I'm surprised THAT many people passed me. Really, it makes no sense. There were more than 23 people who left for the run behind me. That's 13.6 mph or so.
T2: 3:35 (Place = 594) Nothing great, but OK.
Run: 1:18:25 (Place = 780). That's a pace of 12:39 per mile. Yes, I did some walking, but c'mon.
Overall time: 3:41:56. Overall place: 755 out of 791. Considering that I skipped half the swim, that is pretty pitiful. Also, I'm surprised there were only 791 finishers. The numbers went well above 1000.

I will ponder this along with the other mysteries of life.

Mighty Hamptons Race Report - the middle

2005-09-20T01:13:00.000-04:00

I try to casually approach my bike at the transition area, but it's kind of embarassing because I am wearing a wetsuit and going the wrong way. Others are returning from the swim and tearing off on their bikes. Oh well, what the hell.

I pull off my suit, and pour 1/2 my water bottle on my feet to get the sand off. Suck down a vanilla flavored gel and wash it down with amino vital. Helmet, gloves, sunglasses. Check. Trixie and I are off!

I never pre-rode the course, so what was around the next corner was almost always a surprise. It was beautiful. The course was rolling hills. They tend to put hairpin turns at the bottom of a hill here in the Hamptons. Funny I never noticed that in a car.

I have to say, I really enjoyed it. Maybe I was just relieved to be on dry land, but I just pedalled along, admiring the scenery, checking out the real estate. Noticing other people's gear. I said "good morning" or "thank you" to all the volunteers (mostly teenagers) and cops out on the course.

My time was slower than I expected. Surprise, surprise. I believe that I averaged 15 mph - roughly 5 miles every 20 minutes. I was passed by many, and a passed a few people on my own.

Observed on the course:

2 dudes fixing flat tires (glad that wasn't me)
1 racer on a beach cruiser (how did she pass me?)
Some dude in a Porsche convertible who totally gunned the engine when he passed my group of bikers. What a tool.
Site of the Hampton Classic horse show (another rider pointed this out)
Christie Brinkley's house (she wouldn't shut up)
Roadkill: dead rabbit, cat, and a giant deer
Really huge, multi-million $ estates
Older, not-so-nice houses who refuse to leave
Farmland - corn, pumpkins and wine grapes are coming along nicely

As I approached the transition area near the end, I was looking ahead at the "slow down" signs and the dismounting riders. I almost didn't see something crossing the bike lane, and had to swerve to miss . . . . a turtle! Poking his head out and trying to cross. I swear to God. I laughed out loud.

Still loving my bike.

Mighty Hamptons Race Report - the beginning

2005-09-19T13:55:00.000-04:00

Not sure where to start with this one. Results were mixed, to say the least. But the experience was still pretty awesome.

Saturday
Did all my race check in. Bought a pair of those giant goggles. Saw my friends from the bike shop and the tri camp. Feeling ready.

Went to the beach. Beautiful day in Montauk. 3x the normal number of surfers were out, due to extra swell from Hurricane Ophelia. Husband was . . . stoked.

Early dinner (for us). Prepped bags of gear, bottles of Amino Vital. Fuel belt bottles have developed a mildew problem. Eww. Prepped coffee for the morning. In bed by 9:45. Thunder, lightning, and rain outside.

Sunday
4:00 am. Wake up call. Got right up. Forced down coffee and peanut butter toast. Husband secured bikes to car. (He planned to visit the bike shop during the race).

5:45. Arrival at the race site. Marked my territory. Weather is dark, cloudy and cool. Temperature is around 60 degrees. Rain has passed. The swim is along the beach. It looks far. The previous nights rain has churned up the water, and ther is a tiny amount of chop, but in fairness, the conditions are pretty close to ideal.

6:30. Husband bids adieu. I climb into my wetsuit. In the water by 6:40.

6:45. The horn goes, and the men are off. I move over to the start. I don't like bobbing around, treading water, but I feel ok. I try to position myself in the middle - out of the way of the fast people, but not way off to the side or the back. I explain to several women the start between the buoys, stay on the right side of the center line of buoys, etc. I am a voice of authority.

6:55. The women start. Here is where it all goes downhill. All those legs and arms kicking -- gah! I try and stay with the pack and just stroke, stroke, stroke. I get out of breath pretty quickly. I try swimming on my side to catch my breath. I try to stay close to the buoys to avoid adding distance by zig zagging all over the place (like in my Sprint Tri in July). I seem to be drifting out to sea. I correct diagonally. I am no longer surrounded by swimmers, but there are still some people behind me.

Freestyle. Move to backstroke for a little break. Wave pours over me and in my mouth. I swallow salt water, cough and sputter. Backstroke devolves into a doggie paddle. Back to freestyle. Gag reflex happening when I put my face in the water. I keep going.

The turnaround point looks far away. I make the mistake of looking back. No one there. :(

I keep going. The gut doesn't like it. A little bit of my breakfast comes back up. It's not easy to throw up and tread water. The lifeguard guy on a surfboard asks if I am OK. I nod, but go hold on to his board. "Did you cramp up?" he asks. "Yes" (lie).

I swim a little further. The people on the return approach. There are a lot more of them than there are people in front of me on the way out. I'm tired.

There is just no way. It is just too far. I cross the line of swimmers and walk up on to the beach. Husband is there waiting for me. "Are you okay?" I'm glad he is there because I was worried about how I would find him.

I'm feeling pretty dejected. And nauseated. If Husband weren't there, I would have cried. He gives me a hug, although I am soaking wet.

He says I swam really far and I should finish the race. "Isn't that cheating?" You just won't be in the official results, that's all. He sends me off into the transition area. I put on my bike stuff. I have a gel. I keep going.

Unfortunately, that's all I have time for . . . got to head for the airport.

More later -- it gets better!

what next?

2005-09-16T10:34:00.000-04:00

I haven't even done any of my big races yet, but I am already thinking about "the next big thing". That's pretty normal for me. Plus, many of my fellow bloggers are already signed up for races next year. I still have 3 races on my agenda:

September 18th. Mighty Hamptons Olympic Distance Tri.
October 2nd. Mightyman Montauk. 1/2 Ironman Distance Tri.
November 6th. New York City Marathon.

Now, I did the lottery to get into the NYC marathon this year. But if you do NINE qualifying New York Road Runner-sponsored races in a given year, you are guaranteed marathon entry for the following year. Although I haven't even done a marathon yet, I'm pretty sure I'll want to do it again. The marathon will be my 5th, and there are races virtually every weekend, usually in Central Park. I can't even sign up for any of them yet, but they are starting to be added to the calendar. So here are some of my options:

October 30th - Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff (5M) Central Park. We were thinking of being away that weekend, so maybe, maybe not.
November 20 - 10:00 a.m. Race To Deliver/The Kids Race Central Park, No additional information given, so I'm not sure if it's a "kid's race" or a "race for kids". It's a marathon qualifier, so I think the latter.
November 26 - NYRR Knickerbocker 60K. Now this could be interesting. Am I woman enough to go 60K? That's 37.2 miles! Am I nuts? Hmm, debatable. It is Thanksgiving weekend, and we were planning to be away. Still a consideration, though.
December 3rd - NYRR Holiday 4-Mile. Central Park. A no-brainer.
December 11th - NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K. Another no-brainer.
December 17th - NYRR Hot Chocolate 15K. Ditto.

So, if I do the November 20th, and the 3 December races, I'm in for NYC Marathon 2006. I bet they'll add another 5K or something as well. So, that's pretty cool.

What else? I'm looking forward to long bike rides with Husband this month and in October. After that, I doubt I'll get much time on the roads - I find biking the streets of Manhattan a little scary. But I think I'll look into one of those bike trainers. Now where would we put it? Husband bought me one of those Camelbacks to make sure I stay hydrated on a long ride. Isn't he a sweetie?

After the "season", I'd like to work on swimming, flexibility, core, balance and strength. Although my swimming has improved about 1000% this year, it is still pretty weak, and I'm still not comfortable in the water. I'd like to take one of those Total Immersion workshops.

And although I try to stretch appropriately, I have noticed a significant decrease in my ankle/foot/calf flexibility. Yoga? And who doesn't want killer abs? There is a pilates studio around the corner, with all those machines with pulleys and levers. I am intrigued.

Went to the pool last night with Husband and swam 1000 with no drama. I'm going to be fine on Sunday! (I'll just keep repeating that!)

victory at sea?

2005-09-15T00:32:00.000-04:00

So, I've been watching the weather. Hurricane Ophelia is moving up the coast. We spend our weekends in Montauk, which is on the the very tip of Long Island's south shore. It's pretty cool to look at the point where the ocean meets Block Island Sound. Good surfing here.

The marine forecast for this weekend looks a little rough:

Coastal Waters From Moriches Inlet To Montauk Point Ny Out 20 Nm-
Small Craft Advisory for hazardous seas remains in effect from this evening to Sunday morning on the ocean
Fri Night: NE winds 25 to 30 kt with gusts up to 40 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft...building to 6 to 10 ft after midnight. Showers likely with isolated tstms. Vsby locally 1 to 3 nm. Tides up to 1 ft above normal may cause locally minor coastal flooding around the times of high tide.
Sat: N winds 25 to 30 kt with gusts up to 40 kt...gradually decreasing to 10 to 15 kt by midday...then becoming NE 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon. Seas 7 to 10 ft. Showers likely. Vsby locally 1 to 3 nm.
Sat Night: Se winds 5 to 10 kt...becoming SW after midnight. Seas 5 to 8 ft in E swell...subsiding to 4 to 6 ft after midnight. A chance of showers. Vsby locally 1 to 3 nm in the evening.
Sun: SW winds around 10 kt...becoming N. Seas 3 to 5 ft in E swell...subsiding to 2 to 3 ft after midnight.

Small craft advisory?!? I guess I won't be doing any practice swimming on Saturday near our place. I predict that Husband will do some surfing, though.

Sunday's race is about an hour away in Sag Harbor, which is more protected. The swim is in Noyac Bay, not in the Atlantic Ocean. Sag Harbor's marine forecast is not nearly so bad:

Long Island Sound East Of New Haven Ct/Port Jefferson Ny-
Fri Night:NE winds increasing to 20 to 25 kt in the evening... then increasing to 25 to 30 kt after midnight. Seas building to 2 to 3 ft. Showers likely with isolated tstms. Vsby locally 1 to 3 nm.
Sat: N winds 25 to 30 kt...gradually decreasing to 10 to 15 kt by midday...then becoming NE around 5 kt in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft...subsiding to around 1 ft. Showers likely. Vsby locally 1 to 3 nm.
Sat Night: E winds 5 to 10 kt...becoming S after midnight. Seas 1 ft or less. Showers likely. Vsby locally 1 to 3 nm in the evening.
Sun: SW winds 5 to 10 kt...becoming N. Seas 1 ft or less.

So, it's not really going to be like "victory at sea". I am sometimes a little dramatic. Looks like our drive out Friday night may be the biggest adventure.

But I am feeling a little nervous. Now, a 1ft wave is nothing to a surfer or on a boat, but it's a little scary when you are swimming in it. Although I am getting somewhat comfortable with open water swimming, I have only really been practicing in the dog days of summer, in a protected cove or lake, with little wind. The one windy day with some swell actually kind of freaked me out. I don't like when the waves splash me in the face and I swallow water. The water at my Sprint tri was totally calm, just a really gentle wave, and I still got freaked out.

Husband has pointed out that I have a tendency to unnecessarily get myself all stressed out about swimming, biking , running, and he's right. I often find that writing about something gets it out of my mind, so just indulge me.

Part of the reason I do this stuff is because I don't like that I have more fears about doing things than I used to. It's part of getting older, I guess. When I was in my teens, we used to play "follow the leader" on the ski slopes - through the trees, moguls, whatever. I could keep up with the boys. Now, I have probably skiied twice in the last 5 years and I am super conservative. Which makes sense - don't want to go breaking a leg. But it's other stuff too - other swimmers kicking, getting splashed in the face, people biking too close to me, a little sand on the road -- I want to get to a point where those things make it exciting and fun, and not scary. Pushing myself a little makes me feel good. When it's over, at least.

Went to the gym last night and did 10 miles on the bike, followed by some run/walking on the treadmill. Not my best workout, but it felt good to get back in the gym.

September

2005-09-14T11:27:00.000-04:00

Well, I've been totally slacking for the past week and a half, but it's not too late to salvage the month. So I calculated what I would need to do for the next 2.5 weeks to reach my September goals. I changed the "plan" to reflect the "actual" past, so I could revise the next 2 weeks and still make the month.

I have a lot of swimming and biking to do. A lot. But the running looks totally reasonable. I even raised my goal a little. I'm glad I did the spreadsheet, because the sidebar system was getting a little out of control. I'm a girl who loves spreadsheets.

I have a big race on Sunday. My first Olympic distance triathlon! I didn't get a chance to pre-ride/swim/run the course, but I feel pretty ready. Still concerned about the swim, which is a longer distance than I've ever done before. I'm hoping the 23 mile bike and the 10K run will be a walk in the park. I would have never said that 6 months ago!

The 1/2 Ironman is only 2 weeks after my first Olympic distance. I've given myself permission to drop out, depending on how things go Sunday. I'm just really not very prepared - I haven't swam or biked that distance yet. So, I'll see how it goes on Sunday and make a decision then.

The good news is that I feel totally prepared for the marathon. I still have, let's see, 52 days, and I feel like I could do it next week if I really had to. As long as I have plenty of gels. And low humidity. It's funny how swimming and biking made me a better runner.

must blog

2005-09-13T19:59:00.000-04:00

Haven't blogged for a whole week. Unfortunately, I haven't done much working out, either.

The funny thing is, I have a lot to write about. My best friend's wedding was on Saturday. My birthday was on Sunday. The whole 9/11 thing, also on my mind.

I flew into town on Thursday night and tried to be a good bridesmaid by tying bows on anything I could, taking the bride out for a drink, and trying to get her to bed early. It was an awesome wedding and a good time was had by all.

I tried to plan ahead, training-wise, and planned to do a 12 mile run around a small lake near my parents house on Friday morning. It's only about 1.25 miles around the lake, so I was going to do 10 laps, or as much as I had time for. My plan was foiled by getting up late and bringing the dog. My parents have this very sweet greyhound who LOOOOVES when I take her for walks and gets all excited when I put on my running shoes. You would think that a greyhound would be a pretty good running partner, but she gets tired after about 2 minutes and keeps wanting to stop and pee. Anyway, we only made one lap around the lake, and I think I would have had to carry her for a 2nd. Oh well, I had to get to my mani/pedi, and various wedding preparations.

No time Saturday, which I expected. Hair, pictures, etc. Does wedding dancing to count as a workout? Sunday - also a bust, but a nice birthday.

Monday - brought gym clothes to work, but feeling totally exhausted. Walked home from the train station, about 1.5 miles, in an attempt to do something. More of the same today. I think I am fighting a cold - have a little sore throat and fell asleep twice on the train. Been eating a lot of cookies -- not good.

Big race on Sunday. Hurricane swell is coming up the coast. The swim should be interesting.

Now that I am back to blogging, maybe I'll start working out!

new bike!

2005-09-06T23:09:00.000-04:00

So, after my long run on Saturday (and a big lunch and a small nap), I picked up my new bike.

Ain't she a beaut?

I originally asked for silver color, then the bike shop guy called and said they were back ordered on silver, so I said blue was ok, and thought that's what I was getting. But they had the silver after all.

I hadn't noticed that the silver included a pink stripe. So I guess my bike is a girl. Or a gay man. I think may may name her "Trixie", because that is the name of Speed Racer's girlfriend. The bike looks fast. Husband is a little like Speed.

Husband and I went out Sunday, and did about 25 miles. He made some minor adjustments to the seat and pedals on the way -- it's like having my own personal bike genius.

We took Montauk Highway out to a place on the bay called Lazy Point. I like the name. Legs were stiff at first, but it was lovely when we really got going.

Very pleased with my new toy.

LSD Recipe

2005-09-06T22:37:00.000-04:00

On Saturday morning, I ran 18 miles! And I felt better at the end than I did after 12. Here is my recipe for success:

- Refrain from alcohol for at least 24 hours in preparation
- Early to bed, early to rise
- 1 part breakfast of one slice whole wheat toast with almond butter
- 2 parts fuel belt with 24 ounces water mixed with Amino Vital
- 2 Power Gels (Strawberry Banana flavor, with caffeine)
- Dash of Glucosomine Chondroitin
- MP3 player stocked with 80s tunes
- Low humidity and a cool ocean breeze
- Shade, glorious shade

The day began improbably. The alarm went off at 6 on Saturday morning. Husband got up to go surfing, and made coffee. I buried myself deeper in pillows. Husband returned to BR, and I cried out for coffee, from somewhere deep within the pillows. “But you’re asleep!,” he said. He brought me coffee, and I dutifully sat up in bed, propping myself up on pillows. He left the room, and returned a few minutes later, at which point I was totally asleep, sitting upright, with cup of hot coffee in hand. This start did not bode well for the epic run I had planned.

Stumbled outside around 7 to check out the weather. Clear, sunny, brisk, windy. Very windy. There were whitecaps. On the lake. It was freezing. (Actually, it was around 60 degrees). Had some toast. The fog in my head was clearing.

I always get really nervous before these long runs, and say some kind of dramatic goodbye to Husband. I tell him my planned route, in case he needs to send out a search party. He’ll say something dramatic, like, “If you don’t make it back, know that I loved you.” Then he pushes me out the door.

I was planning to do the course for the Mightyman Montauk race I have coming up. It's almost 3 miles to the start of the course, then 2 loops of 6.5 miles each, then 3 miles back, for a total of 18. But those roads don't have much of a berm/running/biking lane on the side of the road, and include areas with names like "murder hill" and "the pits". Instead, I took Old Montauk highway, which has a pedestrian walkway on most of it, straight out 9 miles, and back. This route has rolling hills, with nice ocean views and a breeze. And in the morning, it has lots of shade!

Anyway, I set out around 7:30. I took sips of my lemon lime flavored amino vital water about every 15 minutes. Feeling good. The air is cool, crisp, refreshing. still only a few cars on the road. After an hour, I had a strawberry-banana flavored gel. The combination with the lemon-lime drink was actually pretty sickening. I reached my turnaround point at 1:45 and had my second gel. Heart rate consistently in the 150s - low for me on a run; I think it was mainly due to the cooler temps. Still feeling good! Walked for 5 minutes, then ran another 40.

Hmm, out of fluids. Walked a few, ran another 20. Back in town. The smell of bacon eminates from the Pancake House. So . . . thirsty. Stopped in a deli and bought a vitamin water. Only 3 miles home! Ugh, mostly uphill miles. Body starts to rebel when it isn't having any more of my torture. After 3:15 hours, everything starts hurting - hips, knees, shoulders, bottoms of my feet. Ran, walked and drank, ran, walked and drank. Probably walked at least 1/2 of the last 3 miles.

Did lots of stretching when I got home, and ate a little something immediately. Although my body really started to hurt after 3+ hours, it was an improvement over my 15 mile run. I felt good when I got home - clear headed and ready to stretch, as opposed to lethargic and semi-delirious. Next time, I'll try 3 gels instead of 2.

It took me about 3:40. All in all, I think it was a success. I think I could have done a little more. Especially with one more gel and some gatorade. And I will, in the next 2 months before the marathon.

It's crazy, but it just might work!

September

2005-09-01T11:45:00.000-04:00

OK, let me get final tallies for August out of the way:

- Swim: Plan = 3500 / Actual = 3500. Grade = 100% = A
- Bike: Plan = 100/ Actual = 94. Grade = 94% = A
- Run: Plan = 90 / Actual = 70. Grade = 77% = C
- Crunch: Plan = 1000 / Actual = 700. Grade = 70% = D

So, if everything is weighted evenly, it averages to 85%. In b-school, we called that the "Gentlemen's B". I can live with that, though I don't like that my running was so weak.

I also made some changes to my September plan. I decreased running goal from 120 to 100. Going fromk 70 to 120 miles in one month was probably asking for trouble/injury. Still, throw a few long runs in there, and I could be right there. I also decreased the crunches from 3000 to 2000. Sure, I want some buff abs, but I think crunches are probably the least effective part of training. Time is better spent stretching or picking up some dumbells. It's on my sidebar so I have a constant reminder. Maybe that will help me pace myself a little, instead of panicking with only 3 days left in the month.

I ran a crappy 2 miles yesterday. It was humid, I just didn't feel like it, I forgot my MP3, and it was threatening to rain. Also, I seemed to have a lot of random aches and pains. Numbness in foot, twinge in my elbow (?); minor annoyances which I think were my body trying to tell me it was tired. Also thinking back about past disasters - 9/11, the blackout, the tsunami.

Looking forward to the long weekend. Planning an 18 mile run (!) and a 50 mile bike ride this weekend. Went to GNC today and bought some Amino Vital mix, which I have never tried but seen recommendations, and some gels. And some bananas.

Ugh. I read an article which referred to the standing water in N.O. as a "toxic gumbo". Get those people out of there! I still haven't seen any kind of long(er) term plan. The Houston Astrodome will be an improvement over the 3rd-world hell that is N.O. now, but they can't use that for more than a few nights. Where are they going to go? Trailer parks? Cruise ships? Campgrounds? Hotels? Also, I think they should start dividing them up into smaller groups. Give them a choice of where they want to go - Houston, Galveston, Baton Rouge, Panama City, whatever. A community or a shelter can handle a few hundred (or even thousand) people at a time. At a time like this, they would be happy to help. But 25,000, or 60,000 is an impossible task. People need showers, clean clothes, clean bathrooms, access to phones -- dignity, safety, security. They also need to be registered somehow, so they can get mail and relatives can find them. Oh, it's just a nightmare . . . Here is some info about the Astrodome plans. It's a start.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3334057

new orleans

2005-08-31T10:09:00.000-04:00

I have just been glued to the news for the past few days. Checking the Internet every few hours, watching the news channels in the morning and at the gym.

I've been to New Orleans a few times, and always loved it. Yes, it was actually kind of seedy when you scratched the surface; and no, I'm not interested in getting wasted on Bourbon Street with college kids. But still. The food, the music, the architecture, even the accent -- it is so easy to romanticize the place.

That place is going to be a mess for a long time. With Lake Ponchartrain pouring in to the city, I wonder if it will even be habitable. Those poor people up and down the coast who lost family, homes, pets. Not to mention the impact on the economy -- gas prices have already jumped and it is a major port for agriculture exports as well.

Sigh.

customer service -- update

2005-08-30T11:18:00.000-04:00

Well, after much frustration, Mom confirms that a new refrigerator was delivered this morning, and yes, it is cold inside. They even paid for delivery and took away the old one. Woo-hoo! Seriously, I am glad this was finally resolved, and that Sears did the right thing.

She actually posted an update over the weekend for anyone interested:

############################

Thanks to all for the advice and interest. The story isn’t over yet, but here's an update:

Aug 25 (day 13) – No word from the Sears store. After multiple calls to customer service, misinformation, lost in hold land, disconnections, and conflicting information – Out of the blue, a salesman from the store calls to tell us to come to the store and arrange the exchange. Husband calls me at work. I drive to the store immediately.

The refrigerator I bought in December isn’t in the store. A slightly smaller unit, somewhat more expensive, is the closest match. Salesman and store manager agree that they’ll call it an even exchange. They seem to think it’s a really big concession. Gee. About $100. I’m thankful, but it doesn’t begin to cover the dorm fridge, the take out meals, the trips to the supermarket every day, the time and aggravation of getting this done. I’m going to pay that much to get the thing delivered and the old one taken away. I want to tell them to stop acting like they’re doing me such a favor. Instead, I say thank you.

Delivery is outsourced. I need to call someone else to arrange delivery. First delivery available is for next Tuesday. 5 days from now. Fine.

Back at work, my department and ‘neighbors’ have been following the saga. They think I’m a wuss not to insist on delivery sooner. “Daughter” calls store. She’s a bulldog. They agree to intervene and try to arrange delivery for Friday or Saturday.

Aug 26 (day 14) – The store folks didn’t call. I knew they were lying. I don’t even care. Worst case is that I’ll get the fridge in 4 more days. I’m tired. I’m worn down. I can’t stand to think of this anymore. I am so sick of talking to these people. They have me where they want me. Do you think it will be delivered on time? I’m taking bets.

Aug 27
Aug 28
Aug 29
Aug 30 (day 18) --- This is the day that my refrigerator is supposed to be delivered. I’m sick of this story. How do you think it will end?

If the fridge isn’t delivered on Tuesday, I am dragging the old one out to the porch, putting a huge, “informational” sign on it, and telling them to come to get it. I want my money back. I’m done with Sears. The DIY superstores offer next day delivery. I will have a fridge before next weekend, one way or another.

############################

Mom was very pleased by the comments and support she received after, um, alerting the media on my blog. Thanks!

I think maybe Mom needs a blog, a blog to call her own. ;-)

1 down

2005-08-30T08:38:00.000-04:00

Went to the pool last night. I belong to two gyms, one normal gym (NYSC), and one with a pool owned by a university. The kids are back in full force. Oh joy. It gets very busy during the school year, and they strictly enforce a 25 minute limit on all the cardio machines.

Anyway, I did 6 miles on a stationary bike. Good. If I can do 14 more between today and tomorrow, I'll be set. Then I went to take a shower and get in the pool. At this point I realized I forgot my towel. Annoying. Well, I'm not leaving now.

I was thinking that I would do 1000 meters in the pool, instead of 800, since I had exceeded my planned 5 miles on the bike. While I was there, it got steadily more crowded. The guy I was sharing the lane with left after a few laps, and two boys jumped in the lane with me. They were so annoying! Splitting the lane when I was trying to swim, chit-chatting at one end of the pool. Then they took out the kickboards and were splashing all over the pool.

My swimming was so lousy, until I realized that I was holding my breath the whole way down the pool. Actually, what I was doing was forgetting to exhale/blow bubbles. So I would inhale, stroke, stroke, stroke while holding my breath, then blow out above the water and gasp in a new breath. What the . . ? Who forgets to breathe? Isn't that physiologically impossible? I did this for the first 500, before I realized. Anyway, I haven't been swimming in a while, I was focused on trying to have good form, and I was being harassed by the Annoying Twins, hogging my lane. I really wanted to leave, but I powered through and did the 800 I planned. A lot easier when I started breathing. Good.

Forgetting my towel and the the throngs of college students put me in a bit of a sour mood, but still glad I went. Biked 6, Swam 800, 75 Crunches. (Plus 25 more this morning).

training (or lack thereof)

2005-08-29T14:42:00.000-04:00

Crap.

I just looked at my totals for August, and went back to compare them to my goals. First of all, I knew set my goals for August too low. Now I won't even make them!

Month of August:

Swim: Plan = 3500 meters / Actual MTD = 2700
Bike: Plan = 100 / Actual MTD = 80
Run: Plan = 90 / Actual MTD = 68
Other: Crunches Plan = 1000 / Actual MTD = 500

Shortfall:

Swim: 800
Bike: 20
Run: 22
Crunches: 500

Damn. Double damn. Counting today, there are only 3 days left in the month. So, what can I salvage?

Well, definitely the crunches. I could just do them all now. (well, I just ate lunch, so not right now). I'll do 250 today and 250 tomorrow.
Also the swim. I could do 800 in one long-ish swim session. That's 32 lengths or 16 laps. (note to self: don't count drills)
And the bike. I could do 10 and 10 at the gym. Maybe 10 before I swim tonight.
The only thing I can't finish is running 22 miles in the next 3 days, especially with the biking and swimming. (And a job!)

So what happened? Well, there was heat, humidity, a business trip, work-related stress, out of town guests . . . no excuse really. If I had actually done last week's schedule, I would have been able to make it. Crap.

Week of 8/22 Schedule:
Monday - Swim 500m (actual: NOTHING!)
Tuesday - Run 5M (actual: NOTHING!)
Wednesday - Bike 10M (actual: BIKED 5, RAN 2)
Thursday - Swim 500 (actual: NOTHING!)
Friday - Run 4 (actual: RAN 4)
Saturday - Run 12, Swim 500m (actual: RAN 8)
Sunday - Run 4, Bike 25 (actual: RAN 3, BIKED 20)

Plan for week of 8/22: Swim: 1500, Bike: 35, Run: 25
Actual for week of 8/22: Swim: ZERO, Bike: 25, Run: 17

For reference, I looked back at July totals and posted them on the side:
Swim: 3300
Bike: 31
Run: 61

At least I ran and biked more in August than I did in July. Yeah, I'm doing a HALF-IRONMAN in just 33 days. Get on the ball, girl! And off the f%*%*%* couch!

Okay, this week's schedule (also up in the sidebar)
Monday - Bike 5, Swim 800m
Tuesday - Bike 5, Run 5M
Wednesday - Bike 10M
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Bike 20, Run 4
Saturday - Run 18, Swim 500m
Sunday - Bike 25, Swim 500m

Hmm, marathon schedule calls for an 18-mile run on Saturday. That would be my longest ever. This will take me at least 3 hours. There is also a practice bike ride on Sunday for the Mighty Hamptons triathlon (23 miles), which I don't want to miss, and I will probably (ha!) be very tired after my 18 mile run. Planning to take Friday off, so maybe I run on Friday instead.

September will be a big month - probably the peak for all my training. I have an Olympic distance tri on September 18, then the half Ironman distance on October 6. I also have a wedding, 2 business trips, and my birthday. Uhhh . . .

September Plan
Swim: 10,000 m
Bike: 250 miles
Run: 120 miles
Crunches: 3000

This sure sounds like a lot, but I'm sure I shuld actually be doing more. Based on my reading of other blogs, I am a total slacker!

weekend accomplishments

2005-08-29T11:00:00.000-04:00

Major accomplishments this weekend:

BIKE purchase
Tan optimization
Harry Potter
8 mile run
20 mile bike

1. I finally bought a bike! Yes, it's quite ridiculous that I have signed up for multiple triathlons without owning a road bike. I have a nice mountain bike, which I used in my Sprint Tri back in July. (That was only last month? It seems so long ago.) Bikes are expensive. I considered buying one on ebay or something, but wanted to buy it locally in case I had any issues. I considered renting a bike every weekend and using that for the race. But I finally bit the bullet. Anyway, I am so excited and I can pick it up on Friday. I just know that I will love my new bike, and my new bike will love me . . . what shall I name it???

2. Tan optimization. Sounds stupid, I know, but I am in a wedding in 2 weeks, and my racerback tan line looks ridiculous with my back-baring dress. Spent some quality time at the beach this weekend, on my belly with full back exposed, while Husband surfed. Much better. For the record, I always wear SPF 30.

3. Harry Potter. Mainly while lying on my belly at the beach this weekend, I read the latest - "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" -- cover to cover. It was so good! Husband says Harry Potter cast a spell on me. I planned to do a little work this weekend, but HP definitely prevailed.
4. Eight mile run on Saturday evening. Unfortunately, 12 miles were on the schedule. But I ran the whole way, and maintained speed, even on the big hills. I meant to set out around 5:30 PM, but didn't go until 6:30 because, um, I was engrossed in the Harry Potter book. I went out to the lighthouse and back, taking some extra side roads on the way to make it a little longer.

It was still about 80 degrees when I set out, but with low humidity and and ocean breeze, the air felt positively wonderful. The sun was setting as I tooled up to the lighthouse. Pink, purple, gold clouds . . . gorgeous. Then it got dark. Really quickly. I was the only runner out there. No bikers either. A few cars. Some deer and rabbits. I started to get the creeps, and the adrenaline rush made me run faster the last 2 miles toward the house. Whew! I made it.

My heart rate on the hills goes up to 175, and is around 160-165 on the flattish and downhill bits. I ran roughly 10 minute miles the whole way -- good for me. There is a pretty steep hill in the middle up to an ocean-view overlook. This route is part of the bike course for my Mightyman Montauk (MM) race coming up in, gulp, 33 days.

5. Twenty-mile bike. The bike shop gave me a free rental for Sunday, after I ordered my bike of course. I slept late Sunday, and unfortunately didn't head out until around 11:30, at which point it was pretty hot. But it was great! I rode most of the MM course. (it is a 2-loop course; I did about 80% of one loop). I experimented with the gears. I know the course better now, and know to work up speed on the downhill bits, so I have some momentum for the next big hill. I felt like Speed Racer, passing people out there on the road. On your left!

It felt VERY windy alongside the lake, and I had to hunker down to maintain my balance. It tend to get a LOT windier out there in September and October, so I need to be prepared for this on race day. Here is a description of the bike course:

55.6-mile bike.
· Two Laps on a 27.8-mile loop with rolling hills and beautiful ocean and bay views.
· 2200 Total feet of elevation gain.
· One aid station (water and energy gels) at approx. mile 28.
· Leaving Town on Edgemere Rd to Westlake Dr. around the Montauk Light House. And out and back to Gin Beach on East Lake Dr. Back down West Lake Dr. Around Gosmans Dock with a right turn out and back onto Sound View Dr. With loop onto Capt. Kidd’s Path, then back to town by Edgemere Rd. with a little add-on in the Culloden Estates.
· Light Traffic and great Roads view of the ocean and bay, what could be better?
· Plan to bring warm cycling clothes, temperature and wind can be chilly.

Doesn't it sound great?

I was telling Husband that I really felt like a kid yesterday. Reading Harry Potter, bike riding, lazing on the beach. I completed the feeling by buying a rice krispie treat with my lunch. Oh yeah, I ran 3 miles on Sunday afternoon too.

Lovely weekend.

parking, running and rats

2005-08-26T10:38:00.000-04:00

Ended up staying late at work last night and skipping my planned run. Oh well.

I'm working from home today (which rocks!). Anyway, when I work from home, the first mission of the day is usually to move the car. In New York City, you constantly need to move the car due to street cleaning, meters, etc. So, one side of the street has cleaning on Monday/Thursday, the other side has street cleaning on Tuesday/Friday. Wednesday is the best day to work from home because there are double the number of legal spaces. Plus, there are meters on the avenues (which run north-south), but not generally on the side streets (which run east-west). Meters in my neighborhood run 8am - 7pm, including Sundays. Anyway, got home late last night and could only get a meter space, which means I had to move the car by 8:00 today. Yes, I am too cheap to put it in a garage. And it is not practical to feed the meter every hour. ($0.25 per 10 minutes and 1 hour at a time max). Just a little lesson on the joys of city car ownership for you non-locals.

So I headed out around 7:45, in my running clothes, to move the car and go for a run. I do circles around the neighborhood until I find one where I can leave it all day. This took almost 30 minutes today - total PIA. Anyway, I saw something really gross on the way. I was behind a big truck at a red light. It wasn't a regular garbage truck, but a construction-type truck filled with demolition-type trash. Sitting at the red light, I watched as first one, then two, RATS scrambled off the back of the truck and ran for their lives on the sidewalk. GROSS! They were bigger than Paris Hilton's stupid dog.

I finally found a space and heading out toward East River Park at a slow jogging pace. On the way, I saw lots of squirrels (rats with furry tails) and pigeons (rats with wings). Sometimes NYC grosses me out just a tiny bit.

But it is a gorgeous day. Parts of the park that have been under construction all summer are open now and look great. Lots of other runners were out. Are they training for the marathon too?

I didn't have breakfast before I went, and definitely felt the difference. Had some cramping in the arch of my foot, which made me stop to stretch and walk a few times. I wore heels to work yesterday - I totally blame them for causing foot/calf tightness and usually avoid them. Without breakfast, I get tired, cranky, various aches and pains. Which is why I don't like to run at the absolute crack of dawn. I like to get up, have breakfast, digest -- I need about a 1/2 hour or so after waking up before I can go out. Of course 8:00 is far from the crack of dawn, and I could have done all this if I had risen just a tiny bit earlier. I also like sleep.

So, I was thinking about running 6 miles this morning. Due to foot cramps and lack of breakfast, I only ran 4. Not so bad though - I was happy just to get out there.

Customer Service

2005-08-25T09:37:00.000-04:00

I think everyone has some kind of bad customer service story, and a mental "do not patronize" list of businesses as a result. I refuse to give money to Macy's or Blockbuster because they have wronged me somehow over the years.

Does anyone reading this work for Sears? If so, please help my mom. She sent me the following rant late last night:

Our journey down the rabbit hole:

Aug 12 (day 1) - Our new Kenmore refrigerator and freezer stop working. Find the manual. Contact Sears for service. “Call anytime. Day or night (U.S.A. and Canada)”

We are advised that the "earliest available" service will be Aug 22. That is 10 days from now. There is a service center a couple miles from our house. Can we contact them? Oh no, everything is scheduled through the service center. Okay. Thanks for your help. Unable to accept that we'll be 10 days without a fridge in 90 degree weather, I send an email asking for help. Return email promises a response in 1-2 business days. I'm expecting a call on Monday.

Just an aside, but what does 'business days” mean? The stores and parts centers are open 7 days a week. The call centers are staffed 24/7. How is it that “business days” means Monday thru Friday? Why bother calling at all if it is after 5PM Monday-Friday? Blue laws live?

Aug 13 (day 2) - A morning of cooking during the hottest day of the summer. I cook everything that is still cold. How about a nice hot bowl of vegetable soup? Husband's insulin must be kept cool. Go to Home Depot and spend $100 on a little dorm fridge. Man it fills up fast. We buy ice and think we can put it on the shelves in the big fridge and keep it cool enough to save some of the food.

Aug 16 (day 4) - Still no word from Sears. Another call to customer service. Explained situation and frustration. Call is escalated. Service is scheduled for Aug 18. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It is a losing battle with the “ice box”. We throw away the rest of the stuff. We've lost hundreds of dollars worth of meat and groceries.

Aug 18 (day 6): ~ 11 AM Service person arrives and re-positions a piece of cardboard/insulation that slipped out of position. Advises that we wait a couple hours for refrigerator to begin cooling.

~ 2:30 PM -- refrigerator and freezer are still very, very warm. NO COOL AIR. NONE. Another call to customer service. Ask to have serviceman return to fix the fridge. First available appointment is Aug 27. Ask to speak with supervisor. Put on hold. After a long wait, advised to keep refrigerator closed and call in the morning. When pressed about the refrigerator being WARM inside, rep advises it is because we are opening the door too often. Husband manages not to scream DO YOU UNDERSTAND? THERE IS NOT A BIT OF COOL AIR IN THE REFRIGERATOR. IT IS NOT COOLING. He mentions that we had to buy a new fridge. Rep tells him that's great. You don't have a problem. You have another refrigerator. This is becoming a little hard to describe.

Aug 19 (day 7) - Call to customer service. Request an appointment before August 27. Please. After a little coaxing, representative happily advises that he'll send an emergency email to the repair center and we'd be contacted in 1-2 days. He might be happy, but this is day 7 for me. I tell him this is not acceptable. He explains that he understands that it's not acceptable; that is why he sent an emergency email. I ask him if we could actually speak to someone at the repair center. Somewhat exasperated with me, he puts me on hold and returns to advise that we've be given 'emergency service' and someone will be at the house between 8 and 5 on Saturday.

Thank you for your help.

On impulse, I call the store where we bought the fridge. I still can't believe that this is standard operating procedure. I'm looking for someone who actually wants to HELP ME or at least wants to try. Store manager is not available, but assistant manager is interested, understanding, seems to want to help. Asks us to call the store Saturday when the service person is at the house, just to let them know what's going on. Wow. Hope springs eternal.

Aug 20 (day 8) - Service person arrives around 4 PM. Tells my husband that he doesn't know who we pissed off, but he was told by his supervisor that the word from someone “higher up” than she, was to make sure that our service call was the very last call of the day. Nice.
Another side note: I'm not exaggerating when I say that through all of this, we have been polite, although admittedly frustrated and generally making a nuisance of ourselves. Well, it was the last call of the day. He did what he was told to do; although, to his credit, he was obviously frustrated with his instructions. We live a couple miles from the service center, in a very central location. If he was working in the area, he probably drove past our road several times during the day. Nice.

Serviceman locates source of problem. He doesn't have the part; it's not in inventory and will need to be ordered from the manufacturer. Did I mention that this is a Kenmore refrigerator? Anyway, it's Saturday. He tells us to expect the part to be delivered to our house on Wednesday. He tells us to call them to come out after the part is delivered. Oh dear. I'm anticipating another call to customer service. He tells me we can call the service center up the road. I want to hug him. I'm still not exactly happy, but at least I'm talking to someone who seems to care about our situation.

I call the store where we bought the fridge. Speak with the store manager. He seems uninterested in the situation. I assume that he didn't talk with the assistant manager. I try to explain. He tries to sell me an extended warranty. I'm flabbergasted. I tell him we left a refrigerator that was 20+ years old, and running, in the cellar of our old house (and wishing we'd brought it with us). He tells me they don't make things like they used to. Oh dear. I can barely speak. He's telling me about the extended warranty. I'm asking him what will happen if this isn't resolved. What if it's a lemon? He's telling me that the extended warranty would allow us to return the fridge after 4 unsuccessful attempts to repair it. I ask him if the standard warranty handles that situation the same way.

Oh dear. I seem to have stepped in it again. It really was an innocent question. He's stammering; ahem; well, every case is different; ahem; well, it would all depend; ahem. It's okay. I was just wondering. I've never had a problem with an appliance before. I am not at all confident that our problem will be resolved. Really, I was just curious. Thanks.

What I didn't say: Do you have a mission statement? I thought we had a great warranty: 1 year parts and labor for everything; 5 years on the refrigeration system. I never thought we'd use it. Did I mention our history with appliances? And this is the most expensive, snazziest that we've ever had. If Kenmore appliances are crap now, and you know it, why are you selling it to me? They don't make things like they used to! That's your answer to me?

They don't make things like they used to???!! This makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I worked for an American manufacturing company for over 20 years. We made a good product. I loved selling service contracts. Money in the bank. Isn't Kenmore a good product anymore? I don't know where it's made, but isn't it still the same product? If not, why not? It sure costs enough.

Not that you're asking for my advice, but this has to be hard on Sears employees. I'll bet the good ones are leaving as soon as they can find something else. Pretty soon Sears will be left with the snippy lady telling my husband he doesn't have a problem and the store manager selling extended warranties. Get someone to sell fries with that and you can get through the day.

Aug 23 (day 11) - Well you could knock me over with a … someone from Sears calls us. Wow. Nice. Wants to know if we received the part we were expecting. Not that we've received the part, but she actually apologizes for the delays and inconsiderate comments of her associates. Wow. She's sure we'll get the part tomorrow. Says she'll call back tomorrow to check on the status of the repair. Wow. Still no part or repair; but … did I say WOW?

Aug 24 (day 12) - Still no part delivered. Another call to Sears. Nice lady says she'll check on it and call back. Even though she can't seem to find any record of the shipment, she's sure that it will be delivered today. She calls back (amazing!) We still haven't received the part; there is no record of it being shipped; and we can't schedule a repair without it; but she's going to look into it and get back to us. A little attention makes us feel better anyhow.

Oh yeah. She calls back. That feeling of well-being was short-lived. The part is backordered. If it was ordered at all (who knows?), that order was lost. There is no ETA for the backorder. I'm about ready to cry. I suppose this might be funny someday. Not yet.

I try to call the service center that is a couple miles from our house. They're the ones who ordered the part. Maybe they know something. After 30 minutes on hold, with a repeated message telling me that if I want to schedule a repair or check on a parts order, I should call the 800#, I finally give up and hang up. I just got home from work; it's after 5 PM; I'm tired; I'm hungry; I need to make supper. Actually, I need to go out and buy something to prepare for supper. I can't store enough in the dorm fridge to cook. I'm not going to talk with anyone today. I give up. I give up. I give up.

Around 7PM, I call the store where we bought the fridge. I'm almost pleading. The store manager doesn't try to sell me an extended warranty this time. Says he has “ways” to check on the status of the part. If it will be delivered in a few days, that's one thing. Otherwise, he'll be reasonable; we can arrange an exchange. He'll get back to us tomorrow morning.

Betcha big $$$. Go home this evening and unplug your refrigerator. Call me in 12 days and let me know how you're doing. Let me know how reasonable it seems to wait another week to plug it back in. Any takers?

the pounds

2005-08-24T15:48:00.000-04:00

I went to the gym at lunch today. I love when I can do that - the gym is across the street from the office, and I feel like I "cheated" by not cutting into to evening plans or morning sleep. I biked for 20, ran for 20. I need to do more bricks because my lower legs/feet sometimes feel kind of numb when I run after pushing myself on the bike. It was fine.

But that's not what is on my mind. I can't get the POUNDS off my mind this week. Be forewarned, I think I'm about to go off on a rant here . . .

I consistently weigh about 145 pounds. There, I said it. This is the most I have ever weighed in my life. I think (hope) most would guess that I weigh less than that; that I carry it well. I think I am also in better shape than I have ever been in my life.

It's a cantankerous number. 145 is often the cutoff for the "Athena" division in triathlons. For men, there is often a "Clydesdale" division of 200+ pounds. This bugs me. I am not a big girl! I don't want to be in the big girl division!

I shouldn't complain; I'm really not overweight. I'm just toward the upper end of the "healthy" range.

I ran 15 miles on Saturday. On Sunday, I weighed myself, and I had gained a pound. WTF! Am I supposed to run 100 miles? I have seriously hoped that my scale was broken, and weighed myself at the gym to doublecheck it. No, it's not broken.

Calories in, calories out, right? Calories out are WAY up. Calories in are pretty constant. If anything, I eat healthier than ever. Sure, I like good food and wine, but I have cut out sugar and processed crap almost completely. So why haven't I lost any freaking weight?

The obvious answer is that muscle weighs more than fat. Yes, yes, I know. Husband says that most skinny women's arms are "like a sock full of pudding". Funny yes, but also true. My legs used to just be tubes - now there is actually visible muscle, shape, and something to flex.

Once upon a time, I weighed about 125 pounds. For years and years. Slowly added a pound or two a year, then weighed 135 for like, 5 years. I wasn't in shape then. But it was easier to fake. I would be so psyched to see 135 again. Even at 125 I was never particularly skinny.

I've been taking my measurements all this time. Since January, I have lost 3 inches from my waist. I also found detailed measurements from 1995, which show I could lose 3 more inches from the waist. I was 21 in 1995. So maybe this isn't realistic, but still . . . 6 inches!? That's like one of those ads where someone pulls out their giant old pants! How did this happen? I really can't complain, my clothes fit better, my belly is flatter, etc. But here I am, complaining.

Another thing about this is that my weight gain has coincided perfectly with the advent of vanity sizing in women's clothing. So, at 125 pounds, I was a size 6, and at 145 pounds, I am still a size six. Of course, the size 6 pants bought in 1995 don't come close to fitting like the size six bought in 2005. Ann Taylor and Banana Republic --> Enablers, right? My waist has expanded with the popularity of low-rise jeans. I am nothing if not in fashion.

One thing I will say is that I have more empathy for overweight people than I ever did before. Fat sneaks up on you, and it IS hard to get rid of it. I've lost a few pounds before with the Atkin's diet, Slimfast, etc. But I don't like to live that way, and it always came right back, and then some. I'm trying to turn back the tide NOW, before things get out of control.

Finally, I want to add that I did not start running/swimming/biking to lose weight. I did it for my health. And for the sense of accomplishment. And I AM healthier. Body fat is down, heart rate is down, I can run, swim and bike further than ever before. Being healthy feels good. But you know, I did expect to lose a few pounds.

OK. I think I'm done. Just needed to vent.

New Week

2005-08-22T10:53:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was feeling kind of sick and headachey all day. I had some wine Saturday night; maybe I was still dehydrated from my run and had a bad headache as a result. I laid around for much of the day, but wanted to stick to the schedule, so got up and went for my 3 mile run around 5. It was muggy, but I had some shade, and the headache was actually much better when I got back. So I ran 3 Friday, 15 Saturday and 3 on Sunday. 21 miles - not bad for 3 days! I can't believe that my knees don't hurt at all.

Of course, I totally skipped swimming and biking . . . As a result, these races are starting to loom ahead of me. 26 days to my Olympic Distance Triathlon. 40 days to the 1/2 Ironman distance. 76 days until the marathon. My stomach gets a little queasy thinking about it.

Schedule for the week is up. Tonight, we swim.

LSD

2005-08-20T15:39:00.000-04:00

For you non-runners out there, that stands for Long Slow Distance. Today was the day.

At some point last night I realized that I was supposed to run 15 miles today, and felt sick to my stomach just thinking about it. But, I did it!

I was slow getting up today, but luckily was not punished by the running gods with heat & humidity. I hit the road at 9:40, with a plan to run to the Mightyman Montauk course. The course consists of two 6.5 mile loops. It's about 3 miles to get to the start. I ran to the start (3), the first full - hilly- loop of the course (6.5), the first half of the course a 2nd time (3.1), then back home (3). I'm going to clock it in the car at some point this weekend, but should be about 15 miles.

I did OK. It was foggy and misty when I started out, but cleared a little after an hour or so. I wore my "fuel" belt, and brought water, a gel, some money for gatorade, and my MP3 player. 30 minutes in, I had some water. A fit-looking guy parked at the transition area when I strolled up. He had a fancy tri-bike on the back of his truck. I knew he was there to run the course too. Yeah, he totally smoked me almost immediately.

60 minutes in, I had a gel and some more water. By this point, I was hitting the hills, which involved some walking breaks. The views are beautiful, and there were almost no cars on the road in this section. Nice. After 2 hours, I was back in town and bought a gatorade, which I drank a little of and poured the rest in my now-empty water bottles. Still feeling pretty good.

Back around Fort Pond. Hmm, a lot of people fishing today. Not a good time to swim the course. Almost back to town. After 2.5 hours, my body started to rebel a little. Hips, calves, hams, feet, even shoulders started to stiffen up and ache. The last 3 miles are about 75% uphill. Ugh. A lot of (slightly painful) walking started happening. But, like I said, I made it. Covered in salt and thinking about the best way to ice my knee, but I made it.

15 miles is far. Some jock-types don't count their warmup, or any walking bits. But I figure that I'll be walking through the water stops at the marathon, and that won't stop me from calling it 26.2 miles. So I count it. Also, the marathon course is very flat, and out here there are a lot of hills. Hopefully that will help me on the big day! [The race materials say there is 806 feet of elevation gain on the run course. That doesn't sound like a lot - I should compare that to the marathon course for reference.]

15 miles is a long way, and I feel pretty good. But I have been totally falling behind on my training schedule, and I can't have another week like this. I jokingly call it "The Lazy Woman's Training Plan", but I need to get just a little more serious. Pushing all my workouts to the weekends increases my chances of injury. Today, I have several minor, but seemingly random injuries like chafing, blisters, and a cut & bruise on my back from my water belt. All practice, I guess.

Not much planned until dinner tonight. The fog is rolling in. Ahhh . . . . .

I'm back!

2005-08-20T14:25:00.000-04:00

Finally, I got back out there. I got back from my trip after midnight on Thursday night. And, although I brought my workout gear, it never left my suitcase, and I did NO exercise (a little stretching and that's it) Monday - Thursday. I was feeling a little under the weather and just never found the time. I felt like I gained 5 pounds when I got back.

On Friday, I snuck out of work a little early and was home by 6:15. I was out for a short run by 6:40. I just went around the little park in my neighborhood, but it was so nice. The temperature was around 75 and kept getting cooler. On my 2nd lap around the park, it started to sprinkle. But I would not be stopped by a little rain. (Luckily I was wearing a dark shirt). The rain increased steadily, and by the 6th and 7th lap, I pretty much had the place to myself and was getting soaked. Did the 8th lap and came home, feeling triumphant.

Came home, had some dinner with Husband, and hit the road for the long drive to Montauk. Back in our NY groove.

out of town

2005-08-15T22:54:00.000-04:00

I'm on a business trip. I ate a big steak, and had some wine to frink. I mean drink. My meeting starts tomorrow at 7:00 - how the heck am I supposed to exercise? Grrr.

This weekend I did OK. On Saturday, my body felt tired. I ran 8 miles instead of the 10 on the schedule. Later, I took a 2 hour nap. The humidity takes a lot out of me.

Sunday, I ran 4 miles in the morning, starting at 9 am. A reasoanble time, I feel; not the crack of dawn, but early enough to beat the heat, right? While I was running, I was thinking about how the humidity just wraps around me like a blanket. Or a shroud. Or chains around my ankles. The humidity makes me sweat a lot and drains my energy. It's like running through soup. With a mild smell of low tide.

Sunday afternoon, Husband and I went to the swimming beach again. The water = cold. 60ish degrees. Maybe it's because I was tired when I started, but I got very cold and short of breath almost immediately. Also, there was a lot of swell, and birds picking fish out of the water, right by my head, which creeped me out. And I forgot my goggles. Right. So, I didn't last long in the water.

Later Sunday afternoon. We went biking. Unfortunately, that also kind of sucked, because we got separated and I briefly considered throwing my bike off a cliff into the ocean. I am over that now.

Weekend tally = swim: 250m?, bike: 10 miles, run: 12. Whatever.

training schedule

2005-08-12T09:27:00.000-04:00

Husband and I went to the pool last night. It's always hard to break out of post-work inertia on the couch, but I always feel better after I go. At the camp, we were told to, "Be your own swim coach", and I am trying hard to get better.

I've been reading Total Immersion and I watched the SwimPower DVD before I left. Did some drills to work on my stroke: 100 of side, 100 of one-arm, 100 of catch-up and 100 of the fist drill. THEN I did10 x 50 of freestyle. Usually I alternate drills with freestyle, and end up losing track of the total, and counting some of the drills. I AM getting better, but still have a long way to go. I am just not a natural swimmer. Am I a natural anything? Sigh.

I've been looking at the Half-Ironman training plan, and comparing with my actual totals and goals. Basically, I have been setting the bar too low. I should try to double my swimming, and increase my biking by 50%. Training schedule for this weekend is:

Saturday: Bike 3.5 hours + Run 30 minutes
Sunday: Run 1.75 hours

Damn! Well, I'll see what I can do.

new gear

2005-08-11T15:20:00.000-04:00

I had some serious gear-envy at the camp. Here is my shopping list:

First and foremost, a decent road bike - $600-900. Maybe I will also check out ebay for this.
Aero bars – maybe I will skip this until next year
New bike computer – could skip this, if I move my computer off the mountain bike on to the new bike.
Bike shorts – I only have 2 pair, another would come in handy and ensure even laundering
Swimsuit – I like my suit, but I only have one for serious swimming, and the lining got torn up in the drying machine at the gym. It's not obscene yet, but could be headed that way.
Running shorts – I only have a few pair in good “quick-dry” fabrics, and only one of those has good zippered pockets.
Socks – always searching for one more pair of cool-max socks

Shoes are ok for now. I rotate 2 good pairs, so I think that will take me right through the marathon. Definitely looking at $1200+ here, and these are just the bare necessities. I also have my eye on one of those GPS things (look away!). Oh well.

Tonight, Husband and I are planning to swim together. This is good, and I am looking forward to practicing some of the drills I learned in my class and that I've been reading about in Total Immersion. But I'm supposed to run 5 miles today according to my marathon schedule. So maybe I'll get to the gym earlier than Husband, run on the treadmill, take a shower, and hop in the pool. He may have to work late anyway. I guess that's a plan.

The picture is the one that will be on the NYC marathon t-shirts. We got to vote on several designs. I like how it matches my blog.

epic weekend IV – tuesday

2005-08-11T09:53:00.000-04:00

Slept like a baby Monday night and woke up 10 minutes before the alarm. I love when I do that. Everyone in the class has the latest gear, but I got compliments on my cute sugoi bike outfit. Bike shorts make my butt look funny, but I guess my tri version aren’t SO bad. My joke continues to be that I like doing triathlons so I have an excuse to buy lots of cute sporty gear.

The big thing on today's agenda was the bike ride. The course is basically two 28 mile loops, for 56 miles total. Again, the plan was to do the first loop together, nice and easy, and the second loop as a time trial. Anyone who wanted to drop out after the first loop could, and I figured I probably would.

About 5 miles in, we planned to stop at a deli on the way. One of our group had a serious accident. C, the bike shop guy, came to a quick stop in front of the deli. One of the guys was close behind him, in aero position on a tri bike. He slammed on the brake, but crashed into C and flipped. I think he caught most of his weight on the heel of his hand, but the force of it dislocated on of the bones in his forearm. It didn't break the skin, but the bone was bulging out in a very bad-looking and painful way. This was one of the more experienced guys, at least in terms of cycling. He was hurting, big time. I didn't see the accident because I was one of the last to pull up to the scene. Someone called 911, and the guys went off to the hospital in an ambulance. We found out later that he will need surgery.

This was disturbing, but the rest of us had to finish the ride. We went out to the Point and around to do the rest of the loop. I am not used to riding in a group, and I don't like being so close to people's wheels. Also, I'm not accustomed to going fast, and I tend to touch the brake on the downhill bits so I don't start feeling out of control. We got some tips specific to the course -- there are some rolling hills, and if you really work yourself to get over the first one, you'll have enough momentum to get over the next. Good tip.

On the way back from the Point, my chain popped out in the middle of a hill. Luckily they had sent me out first, so most of the guys were behind me and one of them got it popped back in for me. It seemed normal at first, but the chain was catching in a weird way, and turned out to have a little kink in one of the links. I think "fa-cocked" is the official term. Anyway the coach seemed a little concerned that it would pop, so the two of us headed back together. He kept an eye on me and gave me hints on when to make gear adjustments. Maybe this would come more naturally if I knew how to drive a stick shift.

While we were out there alone on the course, I took the opportunity to ask him if he thought I should be doing this. I was afraid to ask, but I guess I needed some affirmation. Most of me thought he would avoid discouraging me, being a coach/enabler type. But part of me was secretly afraid that he would say, "Half Ironman is not for you, maybe you should stick with the Sprint events," or "You could really hurt yourself, and I don't want to be responsible. Maybe you should try again next year."

What he did say was this. "Listen, this is an aggressive goal. You are going to need to put in a lot of time to make it happen and build your endurance. I've seen you swim, and know you can do it (HA!), but you need to really work on your cycling or you are going to miss the cutoff." He said I needed to work on my cycling! Maybe my swimming is not so bad after all! (Or, maybe he wasn't paying attention that closely.) He also said, "But, what's the worst that could happen? If you don't finish, you'll know what you need to work on, and will be better prepared next year." I liked that answer. After all, I know I won't die out there. If I can't swim, I'll float, float, float my way to shore. If I fall on my bike, someone will probably take me home. If I can't run, I'll walk. I'm still going to go for it.

I felt fine when we got back - I think the bike must be a good fit, because I really wan't sore in the "saddle" at all. We skipped part of the course, so my total was 22 miles.

2 of the guys skipped the second loop. The rest went back out. I went home to pack up the house so I could head home as soon as the class was over. I even had time to wash the car (it was filthy) and take a shower.

When everyone got back, we got an update on the bike accident (ouch!), and went through the training plan. The training plan is a real time commitment, with 2 workouts a day most days. We also got individualized comments on our swimming, and suggestions on drills to work on them. I tend to almost cross my arms, causing me to "fishtail" in the water, and increase drag. The "one-arm" and the "catch-up" drills are supposed to help, so I'll try that.

We went outside for a discussion of the Pose Method of running. It's supposed to reduce injuries and be a more "natural" way to run. We did some drills to help us be lighter on our feet - high knees, butt kicks, etc. This is worth trying for me -- sometimes I run like an elephant.

Then there was one last swim, which I skipped. I had a 3 hour drive ahead of me and didn't want to do it in a wet, pond-y, bathing suit. I said my goodbyes and drove out into the sunset.

It was intense/easy/hard/fun. So glad I did it.

epic weekend III - monday

2005-08-10T15:31:00.000-04:00

So Monday isn't really a weekend, but I took 2 vacation days, so I felt like I was playing hooky.

Training Camp!

The word "camp" made me feel all excited and ready to play. I woke up with a smile on my face, like a kid on Christmas morning.

We started out the morning with introductions and the like. There were 2 coaches - Steve, Ironman extraordinaire; and Chris, bike guru and local bike shop owner. There were 11 of us in the class, a small number which I liked. There were 2 other women, a college student who works in the bike shop and competes on the triathlon team at her school, and the sister of one of the coaches, who was an accomplished swimmer, but a little older and trying to get back into the sport. The college student was in and out over the next 2 days, and the sister was only there for the first day.

Several of the guys in the class had competed in the Lake Placid Ironman, and/or were signed up for next year. Although probably one of the youngest, I was pretty much the weakest link. Sigh. But I am used to being the only woman in the room. It was fine.

After the introductions and overview of the course, the RUN was first on the agenda. The course includes a 13.1 mile run - 2 loops of 6.55 each. The plan was to run the 1st 6.55 as a group, pretty slowly; then choose between heading back and doing the second loop as more of a time trial. The first 3.5 miles was a loop around the pond, which is the swim course, and was also a somewhat logical stopping point for anyone who really wanted to head back. I had just run the 12.5 miles on Saturday, so I figured that I would do the 6.55, then hang out while some did the second loop. If I felt really great, I thought I might do the 1st part of the second loop as well.

I didn't last that far. It was hot & humid by the time we left at 9:30, and I started checking my watch only 10 minutes in. Embarassing. The coach's sister hadn't run more than 3 miles lately - although she seemed to be in better shape than me - so we headed back together. I was hot, dehydrated, and slow. Looking back, I probably should have kept going, and finished up the 1st loop. I think it was the peer pressure of being the slowest, and not wanting to hold back the group. I also wanted to conserve energy for the swim -- drowning would really be embarassing, I guess.

We went back so slowly that we were only waiting around 10 minutes or so when the rest of the group straggled in for water and gels. About 1/2 the group went out for the 2nd loop. The rest of us went for a swim to cool off. It was around 90 and humid. I went right in the water in my clothes. Fort Pond is actually a decent-sized lake. There are fish, geese, and sailboats in the water. Hmm, I suppose they won't allow sailboats on race day? The pond water is a little fishy tasting, but definitely clean. Visibility in the pond is actually better than in the Sound, where my Sprint tri was held. Stepped out after 10-15 minutes, and my performance fabrics dried quickly in the sun. Reapplied sunscreen, and was ready and waiting for our stretching session when the rest of the group got back.

We spread our YOGA mats out on the soccer field and did almost an hour of stretching in the sun. I was glad I reapplied that sunscreen. The stretching was actually awesome, with heavy emphasis on the "problem areas" for most runners, cyclists and swimmers, I guess. I learned some new ones, and got the best stretch of calves, hips, hams, etc as I've ever had. I'm definitely NOT a yoga expert, but with a bunch of 40 something macho guys, I felt like a star student. :)

We broke for lunch, and I tried to make the healthy choice with a fresh tuna sandwich at the organic place. As soon as we got back, it was time for the SWIM. Didn't their mothers tell them you are supposed to wait a 1/2 hour?

People kept asking me if I wanted some sunscreen, which is usually a sign that I am getting very red. I felt nervous putting on my wetsuit, but tried to look relaxed and confident. The bike coach headed out to the middle of the lake on a kayak, and we were to swim about 500 m out and have our class there. Um, what? We are going to just hang out in the middle of the lake? Where we can't touch the bottom? Yeah, that's right.

Well, I got there. I hung on to the kayak during the time Steve was talking. I wasn't the only one, so I didn't care. Thank God I wore my wetsuit - not everyone did. We learned and practiced how to:

tread water (efficiently!)
sight on every stroke for better navigation (I need this one!)
shave time cornering around the buoys
draft off other swimmers

I am still amazed at how relaxed some people are in the water. One guy acted like the buoy and just hung out there, treading water, which we did corners around him. Meanwhile, I spent as much time as possible clutching the kayak. It's not easy to look cool doing this. ;-)

After all that, I was tired and struggling to maintain composure. Our next assignment was to go swim toward the other side of the lake - about a 1/2 mile - and back to shore. Or, we could just go straight back. Anyone who knows my relationship with the water knows my choice. I headed back, and one of the guys went with me. I'm still not sure if he was tired too, or just wanted to prevent me from drowning. I swam beside him, matching stroke for stroke, most of the way. This was actually very helpful - I should definitely try and do this in the race because I covered a decent amount of distance without expending so much mental energy. At some point we got off course a little and had to redirect. I moved onto my back and stayed there the rest of the way. We sat on the rocks on the shore and watched the others race in. The oldest guy (55) was the first one in. Amazing.

We took of the wetsuits, and Steve had us swim out and back 25 strokes, so he could make some notes on our swimming technique. Although I didn't do all the swimming distance, I was still out there, in the water, for about 2 hours. I didn't freak out or drown. I think that is pretty good. My standards are pretty low in this department, I guess.

So that was the swim. But we still had the bike, and we were running behind schedule. We had a discussion of basic bike mechanics and fit. They STRONGLY recommend road bikes over time trial or "tri" bikes for the vast majority of riders. The tri bikes just aren't are stable or safe. I only have a mountain bike, but I borrowed a bike from the bike shop, and we headed out. The bike ride portion was not for distance, but I think we went about 8 miles. We rode part of the course, but headed into a quiet street with a hill and a cul-de-sac. We did some drills:

emergency stop - pull butt all the way off the seat and back, brake without going over the handlebars, and get out of the pedals quickly.
power up a hill - adjust gears to make it easier
power up a hill - move bike side to side for leverage
sharp turn - bend inside leg, straighten outside leg, and lean

Maybe this sounds ridiculously easy to seasoned riders, but I actually learned a lot! My bike felt so light and comfortable; I guess that means it was a good fit.

I planned to go out to dinner with the group, but was so tired by the time I got home, I had a protein shake and some cereal, watched some tv and went to bed by 10. It was a good day.

epic weekend II - sunday swimming

2005-08-10T09:41:00.000-04:00

Sunday I wanted to take it easy, since I knew I had my training camp on Monday. Glad I iced my knees Saturday night. My legs were tired on Sunday, but at least my knees did not hurt. Took one ibuprofin for good measure, but that was it.

I was restless and wanted to get out of the house, but it took a long time to get Husband and I moving.

We rode our bikes to the swimming beach, which we've never done before. Surprisingly, there is no bike rack there, so we just chained them to a sign. We wore our suits under our bike shorts. Husband had a backpack with some towels, sunscreen, swim goggles, etc. Oh, and one of those super heavy bike chains.

The water is around 70 degrees - cold without a wetsuit at first. It was a hot day and there were a lot of people there, but the water is super clean, and there is swell, but no real crashing waves since we are in an inlet. The it a roped off section for swimming about 50 meters wide and 25 meters out, plus a lifeguard. The water gets deep fast - you can't touch the bottom with 5 meters. I tried to swim lengths of the roped off area, but the waves, fish, and fogged up goggles freaked me out a little. Husband gave me some breast stroke lesson - I still don't quite get it, but it was fun to play in the water and practice a little. If nothing else, I am getting used to open water/ocean swimming and even starting to enjoy it.

We had a late-ish dinner at one of the restaurants on the dock. It's a "locals" place, and boats pull up and unload and clean fish right there on the dock. While we were waiting for a table, I noticed a boat pull in and a group of guys pulling and tugging on ropes over by the scales. Turns out they brought in a big shark! It was a thresher shark, which I have bever seen before. It has a long, whip-like tail. This one was at least 15 feet long, and the final verdict on the scale was 425 pounds! Apparently they got it about 40 miles out. I took a picture with my camera phone, but can't seem to get it to come out. Anyway, it was pretty similar to this photo I found on the web. Don't want to swim with those!

Husband went home after dinner and I stayed at the house by myself for my training camp on Monday. It was spooky being there by myself. All the neighbors were gone, and I noticed every car that went by on the road since there were so few. The foghorn went "broo! broo!" as I went to sleep.

Tally for the day - 5.5 mile bike, 750 m swim.

epic weekend - saturday run

2005-08-09T22:59:00.000-04:00

I have done so much exercising in the last 4 days, I can't even believe it. Saturday:

Long run on the schedule was 13 miles, more than I have ever run before. Luckily I had a training partner. K and I palnned to go at 7:30, before the heat of the day. A little delayed, but we were out the door by 7:55. I wore my fuel belt for the first time, and brought. 1 samll bottle diluted gatorade, 1 small bottle water, and a gel - I forget what kind. I had peanut butter toast and coffee for breakfast. It's nice to have someone with you on a long run. We did lots of chit-chatting, and the first 8-9 miles of rolling hills flew by. I checked my heart rate intermittantly, and it was steady at 150-160. I sipped the gatorade about every 30-40 minutes.

Then I started feeling hot. And tired. I waved K on and slogged along by myself. At around 10 miles, there is a turnaround point, so I thought that I would get there, and have my gel and remaining water. I was moving really slowly at this point. K was waiting for me when I got there, about 2 hours in. I told K to go ahead, we were close to home and it was going to take me a while. I came to a complete stop, sucked down a gel, and finished off my water. Only 2.5 miles to home. I took a step, and it hurt. Everything hurt. The bottoms of my feet, my hips, my knees, my calves. The bottoms of my feet?! What the heck!? Really hard to even lift my legs. Heart rate was up, way up, around 180, and the road was almost flat at this point. Ouch.

Nothing to do but walk it off. I walked for about 5 minutes, and started to feel better, probably when the gel kicked in. Jogged 5 minutes, walked a minute or two the rest of the way. Felt halfway decent by the time I got back for some stretching, and food.

Husband asked if I wanted to go mountain biking. I counteroffered with some beach sleeping.

I took a nap in the afternoon, and accomplished very little the rest of the day. My knees ached on Saturday night, and I iced them for quite sometime while watching a movie. They felt fine on Sunday morning.

I get really hungry on any run lasting more than an hour. Sometimes I get nauseated when it is hot, but mostly just hungry. My stomach growls. I think I may be a little unusual in this respect - K basically had no idea what I was talking about. Would I have felt better if I had the gel sooner?

Although I felt pretty crappy toward the end, I was pleased with my performance overall. I finished it, and really felt fine for the first 1:45 plus. The route has quite a few hills, and I usually walk at least some of them, but not this time. So that was good. So, improving endurance, which will come, and one more gel would have probaly fixed it. Next time.

goals, improvements

2005-08-05T12:23:00.000-04:00

Today I added 2 new features to the sidebar: a weekly training schedule, and compounding mileage totals for the month. (Thanks for the idea, Flatman!) Although I usually lay out some kind of plan at the beginning of every week, I think this will be an even better reminder. Plus, I can brag about how much I ran/biked/swam for the month.

Can't brag yet. Although it is still pretty early in the month, I basically haven't done any running at all. So, although it is already the 5th of the month, here are some goals for August:

- Swim: 3500 meters (2.17 miles). That's 70 laps, or 140 lengths. A lot!
- Bike: 100 miles. Shouldn't be too bad - 25 miles a week seems quite reasonable.
- Run: 90 miles. This is actually taking it fairly easy, since my marathon training plan calls for 124.
- Other: 1000 crunches. I got the idea for adding this from another blog. I hate doing crunches, and unfortunately, it shows. I've also been having a little lower back soreness, and I think strengthening the abs will help. Plus, it would be pretty cool to have a six-pack.

IAlthough I started the blog in June, I started running in January. Really never did more than 2 miles on a treadmill before that. I have a separate paper running log, and running is the only thing I've really been keeping track of regulary. I just looked back at that out of curiosity. I kicked it up a notch when I got into the marathon:

Jan - 35 miles
Feb - 43
Mar - 35
April - 37
May - 39
June - 47
July - 61

One more improvement to my page. I added a link to conversion calculator because I can never calculate meters to miles in myhead, expecially for swimming. (Thanks Chivalry!). I can't remember where I got my coutdown clock, but I stole that from someone's blog too. Gotta love "view source".

Next week should actually be a good one for the books because I have my training camp on Monday & Tuesday. Can't wait!

busted

2005-08-04T10:36:00.000-04:00

So, someone was kind enough to point out to me that the Mightyman Montauk is not in 94 days, it is in 58. I was looking at the marathon countdown. Doh! Total freudian slip.

I'm in a better mood today, so I'm just going to wait & see how my training camp goes, and how the Hamptons tri goes. I'll find out if there is more left in me after that event.

On a better note, last night Husband and I went to the "good" pool. It's been closed for a week for cleaning/repairs, so on Sunday we went to the "yucky" pool, which I hate, because it is older, dirtier and usually more crowded. The locker rooms are particularly ghetto. I'm considering reporting them to the Board of Health.

But I digress. We went to the good pool last night. It was awesome! It has been closed for a week, and I think they totally changed the water! It was cool and refreshing, and not too chlorified or worse, salty (that really grosses me out). Anyway, I did 15 laps. Yes, I stopped in between for some. But my swimming is definitely getting better and better. Going to the pool with Husband and sharing a lane is a nice ritual we do together.

I got my Marathon handbook in the mail yesterday! It has all the details about the course, travel arrangements, and of course marathon gear to buy. What a logistical challenge this thing is. The fastest 9,000 women will start the race in a special area. If your number is 18,000 or higher, go to such and such area, and so on. The cutest thing is that there will be "SpongeBob Square Pants" sponging stations starting at mile 19. At least I know something will make me smile toward the end -- I love SpongeBob!

I am totally psyched!

Also, I came across a quote to inspire me:

We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot.

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962)

doubts

2005-08-03T17:38:00.000-04:00

Last night Husband said he was concerned that I bit off more than I can chew with the Mightyman Montauk. Maybe he's right. After all, I got terrible cramps and nearly hurt myself after a mere 40 minutes on the bike last night. How am I going to last at a HALF IRONMAN when I'll be out there for 6-7 HOURS? (Good question, eh?)

Husband is not doing the longer Tri's or the marathon with me. But we work out together, so he knows my level/limitations. We did a Sprint Tri together, and I finished near the very bottom of the pack. I think he's concerned that I'll need to be rescued on the swim. Or that he should be out there escorting me on his surfboard.

The countdown clock I added to the side of my blog is a source of motivation, but also stress. I've been scheduling some business trips this week in August and September, when will I have time to train? Also, I have basically been starting with my marathon training schedule, and just substituting some swimming and biking for some of the running. I haven't actually been ADDING the swimming and running. I've been realizing that I've been doing it all backwards, what I should actually do is start with a triathlon training schedule, and add some long runs. Basically, I've been slacking. Big time.

Anyway, I'm trying to make myself feel better. I learned some things from my first (Sprint) tri, and my training since then. I barely placed in that last race, but I felt good at the end, and I could have down more. So I'm going to break it down for myself (and my loyal readers).

Mighty Hamptons: 45 DAYS ("Olympic" distance)

Swim is 1.5 K (.93 miles)
Bike is 23 miles (38 K)
Run is 6.2 miles (a 10 K)

Swim. That's 30 laps/60 lengths. I've never done that before - I stop for 10+ seconds after virtually every lap in the pool. But it almost sounds reasonable. Almost. I could backstroke a little if I lose my breath. 30 laps. 30 laps. 30 laps. In last year's race, it took between 21 - 64 minutes for this leg of the race. 30 laps in an hour at the pool definitely sounds reasonable. Of course, I can't hold on to or push off from the wall, but still. My wetsuit and the salt water make me "floaty". I won't nearly as freaked out by the other swimmers kicking as I was in my first tri. I will swim in a straight line and sight the buoys regularly. I will put anti-fog on my goggles. It's doable. 45 minutes would be nice.

Bike. I *think* I have gone that far on a bike at the gym before, but never on my real bike. I definitely haven't biked the course, but I know the area pretty well, and there are no major hills. There are farms and and a golf course, so maybe some rolling bits, but I think I am more worried about the ticks. Last year it took participants between 1 - 2 hours. That's a long time. Long enough that I need to get coordinated enough to drink from my water bottle while moving. But the good thing about a bike is, even when you aren't working very hard, you are still moving. It took me 31 minutes to go 8 miles in my sprint tri. I had "bike issues" that day and was still getting used to clipless. So maybe an hour and 15 minutes?

Run. I have run 6.2 miles or more at least 5 times, and it should be about 10 times by the time the race is here. I will obviously be tired, but my running is pretty consistent. 65 minutes.

In the race packet, it lists the start time (7:00 am), the estimated time of the first finisher (8:47 am) and the estimated time of the last finisher (11:00 am). So adding up the parts, plus a conservative 10 minutes for the transitions, I should finish the race at 10:15 (3:15). Based on last year's results, that would put me in 500th place, out of 633. Since my goal is to simply finish the race, I consider this to be respectable. Again, my goal is just to finish. Plus, I still have 45 days to do more swimming and biking. The course is pretty accessible and I should get to practice on it at least once. This, I can do.

Next Up --> Mightyman Montauk: 94 Days

Swim is 1.2 miles (2K)
Bike is 56 miles
Run is 13.1 miles (a 1/2 marathon)

Swim. That's 40 laps/80 lengths. Never done that. That's like all the swimming I've done in the past month. Last year, it took participants 29 - 66 minutes to finish this legs, surprisingly similar to the times for the other race, which is 500 meters shorter. I can think of 2 possible explanations: (1) this swim is in a pond instead of a bay, so maybe it is flatter and easier, or (2) only very strong swimmers dare to enter this race. hmm. Also, they CLOSE the swim course after 1 hour. Gulp.

Bike. Haven't done that before either. Last year it took participants between 2.5 - 4 hours. Ouch. They CLOSE the bike course at 11:30. (Race starts at 7:00)

Run. I will have run 13.1 miles and more several times before the race in preparation for the marathon. I run slow in the best conditions. But I train on this course practically every weekend, so I will be ready for the hills. 2.5 hours. They CLOSE the run course at 3:00.

Yeah, this looks pretty hard. I might not make the cut-off times, and be a DNF. But I won't DIE out there. (Always looking on the bright side . . .)

My only hope is my training camp and training schedule. Hope they don't kick me out of camp! I repeat, my goal is just to finish.

Strangely, I'm not really worried about the marathon. My goal all along was just to finish; I don't mind walking through the water stops or whenever I need to. Also, I read somewhere that an Olympic distance tri is considered to be equivalent to "marathon effort". So, if I do these 2 events, it should be a piece of cake. I guess that's something.

This was a long post. Clearly, I am obsessed. But, I feel a little better. After all, my goal is just to finish.

Off to the pool!

cramps!

2005-08-03T12:05:00.000-04:00

Last night I hit the gym after work. I thought I would do a little Brick, with 45 minutes on the bike, plus 20 on the treadmill. I hardly ever bike, so I decided to push myself on the bike, and take it easy on the treadmill.

It's funny, the "old me" used to ride the bike at the gym for 20-30 minutes and barely break a sweat. I would take over one of the "reclined" position bikes where you basically sit in a chair while pedalling your legs. I would set it on Level 3 or 4, and read magazines or watch TV. I have taken a few spin classes, but basically avoided those because, well, they were hard.

Not last night. I took the "tall" bike, set it at level 10 on a random course, and set the "race" feature for 40 minutes. I came prepared with good music on my MP3, and a bottle of Vitamin water. I was sweating big time, heart rate was up to 150+ for most of the ride. I had the RPM as high as 100, and speeds of up to 25 MPH. Distance was 12.5 miles, calories burned were over 300. Definitely a lot higher intensity than my normal meandering Sunday bike ride style.

Time for the treadmill. Towelled my sweat of the bike (eww), took a swig of water and hopped on the treadmill. Walked for about a minute just to start, then upped it to 5.5 (11 min mile pace) with a .5% incline, planning to increase to ~6.5 (9.5 min mile pace).

Jogging about 2 minutes when sharp pains hit my left calf, then my right. Oww! oww! oww! It really hurt! Really sharp pain, enough to bring tears to my eyes, and a little embarassing when surrounded by people at the gym. I slowed down the treadmill, walked a minute or two, then tried to speed up again. OWW! Just couldn't do it at all. I walked the rest of the 20 minutes, increasing the incline to 5-6% to help stretch the calves and give me a little better workout. Did LOTS of extra stretching afterwards. Then I did some crunches, and got a cramp in the arch of my foot! Oww!

This isn't the first time I've had tightness or cramping in the calves/feet. My calves have been getting really tight lately, and sometimes I get a sharp cramping pain first thing in the morning. Not a nice way to wake up. Also get cramping in the feet when I swim sometimes. I need to head off plantar fascitis at the pass. I do stretch, especially the calves, usually in the morning, and definitely after running. But, definitely need to do more. Here is my strategy:

- Stretch! Every morning, plus before and after workouts. (I usually only do it after running)
- Hydrate! I think I am constantly in a mild state of dehydration, which definitely makes it worse. Drink more water, drink less alcohol. Today I am hyper hydrating.
- Massage! I have this back massager thing which is about to go right on the calves. I also have one of those foot roller things. Every day.
- Shoes! I'm going to try not to wear heels until after the marathon. They really aggravate it for days. Sneakers and flip flops for me -- so much for my professional image.

Today I'm just planning to do some yoga, and some swimming.