2 Days in a Row!

This week marked my return to the pool! I got to Masters swimming 2 days in a row. It is hard to believe what a toll 2 months off can do to your body. Out of the three sports in triathlon, swimming always seems to be the toughest to return to. And this is coming from someone who has swam since 4 years of age. I now know why we swam year round with only 2 weeks off in between sessions. So once I dragged my butt out of bed in negative degree weather and got in the pool I felt I was back where I belonged. It was hard, my body could feel the months of inactivity, but mentally I was sky high. I love to move my body and the off-season sometimes puts you in a routine where you can forget how great it is to be fit and fast. I got that feeling back, so I know now I will be safe for this upcoming year of training! The motivation is back :)
As for the training season, official IM training does not begin until March. So up to then I am just going to focus on my running, swimming, strength training and weight maintenance. It is so good to get the off season over with and back to training.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! Today will be a day of work for me but that's ok since I received the best Christmas present ever:

Ironman Louisville 2010 entry.

Season plans are going to be revised slightly and I am loving it!

Boredom leads to UltraRunning

Crazy thoughts of ultrarunning are entering into my end. I am not so sure why. I have always loved to run and ran cross-country and track in high school but I was always a swimmer at heart. I am just dying for a new, tough challenge.............and ultrarunning would definitly be that.

It has been a very physically inactive week here for me in Vermont. A good friend of mine came out to visit from Wisconsin last minute so I was unable to take off work which meant my free time was spent visiting her. Totally worth it but my body reacts poorly to not moving at least once every day. I did get to do my Christmas and wedding dress shopping with her which was good because I am very good at postponing those sorts of activities.

So back to ultrarunning and other crazy ventures I have had time to dream of in my laziness. I have been looking at peakraces.com at maybe doing 50k at the beginning of summer and then a 50 miler at the end of summer. I am not sure if this is even something that I would enjoy but it seems like a very good challenge. And I need that in my life. I have no idea how to go about training for something like this but there seems to be plenty out there on the web. It also seems that Vermont has a fairly big group of ultrarunners in the area. I know that I may also be looking into this because I am not training for an Ironman this year (maybe, possibly a xmas present??????) and I am so bored professionally and physically that I always tend to think of extreme things to do when I get bored. Who knows what the future will hold but I do know there are some amazing challenges out there waiting for me!

Snowy Run

Depending on the day I am either complaining about the cold winters and planning to relocate or I am in such awe of the beauty especially when you get out on a nice snowy run. The best thing about running in the winter is that you usuallly warm up and feel fine. I have done many spring bike rides where I have never warmed up! Yesterday was one of those amazing days. It started off with a fun trip to a farm in Hardwick, Vt to look at some Lab puppies for Luke. They were so cute! We have to wait for the next liter but it was good to check the place out and start some planning if we decide to go through with this. Then we had a relaxing lunch, grocery shopping and then hit the snowy roads for an easy five-miler. I have been really good about staying conisistant with my running the last 2-weeks as my marathon training starts this Tuesday!I know in one of my last posts I mentioned that I missed the start day of my training plan.
That was for a 20-week plan. After a crazy work schedule, flying to Cali for a wedding and just being plain unmotivated I decided to wait and reorganize with a 16-week plan. The good news is I am feeling pretty motivated and have accepted that I may be spending some time with the treadmill this winter. Fine with me, as I stepped on the scale and the number was way off what I wanted to maintain for the off season. That is motivation enough!

99% Practice, 1% Theory

For those of you not familiar with yoga, the title of this post is from Ashtanga Yoga. I love this saying and I think it applies to everything in life; especially for us triathletes during the off season. I sometimes find myself focusing so much on the planning, analyzing numbers and data, obsessing over equipment and gear that I lose sight that this is just a small part of the picture (the 1%). The 99% is where the good stuff happens. Getting in the pool, hitting the road, skiing all winter ....those are the things that are going to make a huge difference in my races. So all though I am still in the off season I am going to try to focus more on doing then thinking. Of course, a structured training plan is important for peaking at my races but right now I just want to get out for a run, drop in on a yoga or spin class and not think so much about it.

Marathon Training Started Without Me!

Oh no! I somehow missed my start date for my marathon training plan! Surprise, surprise....this still shows that I am not 100% focused. I am not too worried as this plan is 20-weeks and I usually just do a 16-week plan. I won't fight the structure though. Seeing my workouts really helps me motivated. I should probably go on-line and register as well, but............I am not sure that I am all the way there yet.
So today's workout will be 6-miles. I better get my butt home, get geared up and dig out my headlamp.
I did officially sign up for the 10-mile Kingdom Swim (http://www.kingdomswim.org/) on July 24th (my 29th birthday). I am determined to do the full 10 without a wetsuit as opposed to doing the 3 with a wetsuit like I did last year. It will be interesting to see how I hold up without the wetsuit. It still amazes me how much faster I am with it.
But now I am a RUNNER! Must stay in that runner mindset and not get distracted dreaming of open H20 and long bike rides.

2010 Season

Sadly, I will not be doing an Ironman this season. It has been so tempting to sign up for one but it is not financially responsible. My main focus will be saving and planning for our wedding but of course I still want to keep training and racing. All of the races will be local and in the Northeast. I also want to only do a few races so that I can really train! I always get sucked in to doing sprints every weekend and it ends up cutting out a lot of my training time. I am getting really excited for the upcoming season and training is becoming natural again.

Focus #1 (December-March)
March 28, 2010
Ocean Drive Marathon, Cape May, NJ: I love this race. It is so laid back, affordable and keeps me training through the winter. I will run, ski, and lift this winter!
http://www.odmarathon.com/

Focus #2 (March-June)
Get on the Bike!!!
June 26th: RaceVermont 1/2 (First time this race is being held)
(will get in a sprint also but main focus is the 1/2

July: 10 mile open swim (Kingdom Swim) I just had to throw that in there. Hopefully I will train for it. It will be fun regardless.

Focus #3 (June-August)
Speed.
I want to break 2:30 in the Olympic Distance at the Vermont Sun
August 8th, 2010

And if I can pull it off, finish with the Vermont Sun 1/2.
http://www.rushtonsports.com/

Focus #4 (September)
Get married, mountain bike, and play!

I think this season will be a great time to really lay an awesome solid foundation. I am also hoping to do some tri training events locally. More on that later!

One last bike ride!

Yeah! Warm weather made its way to VT yesterday. It was impossible to resist so I got out on my cross bike for what may be one of the last rides of the year. Training is so much easier with temps in the 60's!

Into the Swing of the Things-Setting Goals

So I've been getting out there running. It took having my parents here for the weekend to get me back on the road. Once I got out and the heart started pumping I felt great. I even got myself out in the dark and very cold weather. It is so hard to keep motivated here during the winter so I think blogging will help keep me accoutable. I also hit the weights which is one of my faviorte ways to workout. I am going to work on putting together a great winter strength training routine.

I have alot of different goals I am formulating in my mind. Hofefully I will have some all together and post soon. Although it is a tough time to get outside, it is a great time for dreaming and planning!

Selfish Blog

This blog is for me...and probably totally boring for anyone who may come across it. But I need help! I need motivation! And writing my goals down is my number one way to stay motivated. I have been sick; coughing, sweating, sneezing, just feel downright yucky. So yucky that I have not been active in close to 2 full weeks!!!! Scary...and it is so hard to go from Ironman shape to this...pathetic, laying on the couch, eating ice cream. I know that rest is so important and that I will not turn into a couch potato overnight but I need to run, I need to move other than walking the dog. I am feeling better and am going to go out tomorrow. No excuses...no tiredness...i may even force myself to get up and do it in the morning. I can do this!!!! I know that my problem is not having a set goal.
So I am declaring that I am in marathon training for Ocean Drive Marathon in Cape May, NJ in March 2010. I will race a 1/2 on November 7th and will get back on my strength training program. I think buying one of those cool running journals will help, recording it on-line just doesn't work for me.
Awww..I think I feel more focused now. Thanks for the ramble :)

Back in the swing of things!

So it has been a full month since Ironman. I "think" that I am completely recovered and back to my normal self. The week after the race I felt great. I went to Masters swimming, ran, rode my bike and was thinking "wow, that was easy". The Luke and I went off to California where I did nothing but eat and enjoy the beautiful weather. After getting back from Cali I was tired and didn't want to do anything. I even had to take off a day of work to sleep and rest. I may have been coming down with something or the months of training and then traveling might have just taken a little longer then expected to catch up with me. This weekend I have 2 full days off to myself. It was great. I got to sleep ALOT! And also run and ride. I am getting back into strength training as well which I hope will make a difference with my body composition and strength.

I also got engaged while I was in California so I will now be training and wedding planning! I think the wedding planning should be easier then the training, but you never know :) Still seriously thinking about IM Florida but also thinking about just training hard for Olympic and Sprint distance races since the budget will but smaller with trying to pay for a wedding. In the near future I will be racing in a 1/2 marathon this coming weekend and hopefully some other local running races this fall!

Mission Accomplised

After all the build up to IM Wisconsin I thought that I would be able to write a huge post. All I can really say is "I did it". I am very proud and excited about it but my first thoughts were "whats next?" I want to do another one. The race went great. I couldn't have asked for a better day. I felt good the whole way and was in good spirits. Next event I want to be able to push the run. So that will be my winter mission: RUNNING! and hopefully running fast. For all those out there on Sunday: Great job. The participants and volunteers were amazing and really left me with appreciation of being able to be involved with this sport.

#2143

#2143
Those will be my magic numbers come this Sunday! I have been reading through many race blogs reading everyone's race day plans. Boy, people have things really thought out. I am unfortunate in that I have never been to the Madison area and only can picture it through the videos and from what I read. I like that some things are going to be a surprise and there is nothing that I enjoy more than getting to ride a new course. My race plan is simple:
Take it easy, enjoy every minute, stay focused and stay strong. This is something that I have always wanted to do so I have achieved my goal just by going through the training and getting to the race. The day will hold lots of surprises, some good and some bad but I am ready for whatever happens.

Last Long Ride

Yesterday was my last long ride until IM. It was a little under four hours and around 65miles. The best part of the ride is that I got to catch up with some women riders from my bike group that I have hardly ridden with all summer. It was so nice to be out with other riders. I rode my TT bike and did spend some quality time in aero position. I now love my bike. I got a new cassette put on so I have a lot more easier gears to spin with and my seat is breaking in. Or maybe I am just trying to be super positive! It was nice getting to ride with others that were on a road bike and being able to see the difference. I definitely do not want to be stuck on my road bike for 112 miles. I was so hungry that I cut out my t-run. Pancakes do not provide the same nutrition as oatmeal (lesson learned). I also bought new bike shoes a size bigger so that I do not have to deal with any swelling or discomfort on race day. I am feeling totally prepared and ready to race. I have a feeling that taper is going to drag on and on. The good news is that this week is going to be perfect weather and I will get to get outside everyday for training!

Taper and 90-minutes of Heaven

Taper has started and I am starting to feel a little more rested. For the past two weeks I have been desperately trying to get in to get a massage. Sadly, August is the busiest time at work and all of the massages have been booked solid. Today was the day. It started off with a nice Masters Swim at 6am followed by a 90-minute massage using hot stones :)....it felt so good. I could feel all the muscles releasing from the past few weeks of hard work. I just have to get out for a nice 60-minute run now. This weekend is a short 3-hour ride and a brief 90-minute run. This taper is going to feel so good!

So Lucky

Just reminding myself of how lucky I am to live in a place where it so easy to train....and beautiful.

HARD Training Week

This past week of training was labeled as "HARD" in my training program. It actually turned out to be hard and great at the same time. The chunk of the week was very similar to the other weeks with tempo work on the bike and run. This week was a 6-7 hour ride followed by a T-run and a 2-hour run on Sunday.
I decided that if I was going to go that far I would go somewhere beautiful. I left from Elmore at 7AM and ended up to Lake Willoughby. From Willoughby I ended down a beautiful country rode and then down route 16 to Hardwick. If anyone is looking for a smooth rode with a nice shoulder check out Route 16, it was awesome! The ride ended up taking around 6.5 hours and was somewhere around 100 miles. I am unsure of this info because my Garmin died in the middle of the ride. I am trying to embrace all of this available technology but forget about the little things like make sure my battery is charged! I finished feeling strong and ended out for my run. Again, no watch but I was out anywhere from 40-45 minutes.
This morning I headed into Stowe to get in a 2-hour run. I had a freshly charged Garmin and ended up running for 2.05 and completed 11.5 miles. Slow, long run!
The best part of this training week is that it is finally hot! Around 85-90 degrees and I trained through it. I can now say I am prepared for the cold, rain, wind or heat!
Next week is also labeled as "HARD". Can't wait :)

VT Sun Olympic Tri

Yesterday was my final race before Ironman Wisconsin. It was the Vermont Sun Olympic Tri at Lake Dunmore. This was the first triathlon that I ever did in 2004. I had a great race as I was within 3 minutes of my best time ever. I finished in a 2:39 and ran a 55 in the 10k which made me very happy. I first thought that my bike was slow and again blamed it on the bike....but after looking at the splits my bike time ended up being 3 seconds faster then when I set my PB in 2007. I lost time on my swim (just a little and on my run). Not a big deal as I felt strong throughout the race and I can not be happier with how my running is progressing.
Luke did amazing and qualified for the Best of the US race that will be held in Mission Viejo at the end of September. So excited and I get to go along for some needed beach therapy.
The next two weeks will be some hardcore training and then a gradual taper for IM. Reality is starting to sink in. I feel strong and confident.

http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/vt/Aug9_LakeDu_set1.shtml

Lesson learned!

I have gotten many flat tires since I have started riding. Today was the first time that I have ever gotten one solo. I had no cell service so my only choice was to change it myself. I DID IT! And it didn't take me too long. I was very lucky as the flat was in my front tire but I feel like I could do it for the rear tire as well. This might have been one of my most valuable lessons learned this season!

A Long Week

Wow, I have not posted in a long time. That is what one week off from work will get you when you live in the middle of no where w/o Internet. I now have the iphone so I am one step closer to being back in touch with technology.
A lot has happened in my training and racing world. And I am happy to say it has all been very POSITIVE! Luke and I decided to take this past week off to train (happened), take care of some housework (somewhat happened) and to relax (not really). It was a really great way to refocus mid-season and get in those long rides and runs.
The week started off with both of us participating in the Stowe 8-miler (http://www.locorunning.com/stowe8miler.php) . This is a great run through Stowe that I often do on my training runs. My goal was to hold 10-min mile pace. I finished the race in 1 hour and 12 minutes. Way under my goal! I felt solid running until around 6-6.5 miles where I got a little sluggish, pulled it together and finished strong.
Luke and I then got in the car and headed to St. Lawrence County, NY to meet up with our bike group to enjoy some country riding. I thought we rode in the middle of nowhere in VT, this part of NY was empty. Lots of really good paved rodes with good company. I also got some good swims in lake.
Back to VT, did a long ride to Woodstock, Vt, a long run and lots of other workouts in between.
This past Saturday I raced in a 3-mile open water swim (www.kingdomswims.org). I won the race overall (yep, beat all the men). I felt controlled and comfortable throughout the whole swim. We had excellent conditions and I had a awesome kayak guide who knew the course. It got me thinking about focusing on open water racing more.

To the present: this week is fairly easy, i fell during one of my t-runs and strained my ankle. Nothing serious but enough to slow me up.

Nutrition-wise: I cannot stop eating ice cream!

Vermont Sun Sprint: Personal Best

It was a great weekend for me doing a SPRINT tri. I forgot how great sprints are and that I can actually do fairly well at them. My goal going into this race was to finish in the top five. A few of the really good women were not at this race so I knew I had an even better chance. http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/vt/Jul12_Vermon_set5.shtml

The swim went well. It was pretty rough getting around the men backstroking. This race always starts the women behind all the men. I just went all out and finished 1st female out of the water. I just found out that I hold the female swim course record and I pretty sure I bettered the time. (7min 17sec)

On to the bike. Normally I am used to being on the bike all alone until the fast women catch me. Since the heats are not too far apart (only 3 minutes), I got out of the water with a lot of decent men riders. I am very particular about not drafting and racing a fair race but the men were all over the rode so I am sure I was not completely out of the draft zone. It was motivating trying to keep up with that group though. I'm sure this was my best bike time ever but have not had time to look back at last years results. (39.22) Never mind, just looked. This is where I definitely made up my time, last year I biked 41 minutes. That makes me really love my Felt now. I also had a very slow transition here because I knocked over the mountain bike next to me. Sorry to whomever that bike belonged too.

And then off to the run, I felt good. Heart was pounding but was able to get the air in. I knew this course and that it was a quick out and back. The way back had a good decline so I knew I couldn't give up. I had to stay mentally strong the whole way. One girl passed me right after the 1/2 way mark. I kept her in my sights, stayed positive and kept pushing. Finished with a 25.10, slow closed to getting a 24. Next time.

Overall finish, 2nd female overall, 1st in age group and a new Personal Best time of 1 hr. 13 min. and 58sec. I am glad I got under 1:14.

Now I am off for a very intense 2 weeks of training!!!

Tupper Lake 1/2 Race Review

I had a great race! I have to state that before I start analyzing everything on what I could have done better. So for me the most important thing I learned from the race is that I am on target in my training and will have a great IM Race. But now on to the details......the swim was typical. I finally got to start in the 1st wave. It consisted of men and women ages 25-29. There seemed to be a lot of aggressive guys at the beginning. I got a good kick in the face and a guys swimming over me trying to get to a group of guys. If you are one of these people that feel like you need to hang on someone to get a good swim....stop. You are way better off sighting yourself and going in the correct direction. I ended up being the 1st female out of the h20 in my wave. I took it nice and easy and avoided getting my heart rate eye. Definitely felt like I good easily have swam the loop twice. Got on my bike and just started pedaling easy. Find a nice comfortable rhythm. Made sure to spin up the hills and not go too hard on the downhills. My goal was to go under 3 hours and I got back in 2hours and 55minutes. Thank you Luke for getting me a new crank. I was so concerned about not being able to spin up the hills with my old gearing system so Luke put his cylcocross crank on my TT bike and it worked like a charm. On to the run. This was my main focus of the race. I wanted to be able to run my 1/2 time that I ran in the spring (2.08) but I also just wanted to feel strong. The transition from the bike to the run went surprisingly well. My back was a little tight but nothing like I felt in training. I had a nice steady pace going. I somehow did not see the mile markers so I wasn't able to get my splits. I started to walk through the rest stops. I felt like I had enough food but I was tired and felt like I let my heart rate was getting to high and then I would walk to get it down. I wish I would have pushed through and not walked. I ended up running around 2 hours and 16 minutes..not too bad, but not what I wanted. The good part was that everyone was saying it was a slower run and had slower times than usual. My overall time was 5 hours and 44 minutes. Best time! I am ready to get back to training and am going to really put in the effort to focus on the bricks and run workouts. Especially running at a hard intensity. http://www.sportstats.ca/display-results.php?lang=eng&racecode=44405&first=&last=gerhart&bibnum=&page=&sortby=place&city=&sizeofpage=200&limit=2000

Boston, NY, Vermont =EXHAUSTED

The past few days have been very busy and I AM TIRED! I went from the training clinic in Boston, home to Vt, did my long run, woke up at 5 for Masters, drove to Tupper Lake, NY, rode the 1/2 course, did a t-run, drove home and woke up bright and early from work and am pulling a 12-hour shift. Oh and I snuck out for a short run. I intended it to be for 60-minutes but could only pull off 30 because I am tired. The good news is that I really think I like the bike course at Tupper Lake. It starts off with a lot of steep climbs but then gets pretty rolly with a lot of great downhills. The key to success will be holding back on the downhills trying to avoid pushing a big gear and to spin up and over the hills. This is all I can manage as this week is going to a tough training week but Monday will be a nice short 4-day taper for TUPPER!

Getting Educated

Wow, I do not even know where to begin this post. I am in the middle of USAT's Level 1 coaching certification weekend. First of all, I have to say that Luke is the Best Boyfriend in the world. He made it possible to attend this clinic on such a short notice. I have been wanting to attend this clinic for many years but I have always had poor planning with it selling out or not having the cash to attend. This year's clinic in Boston sold out before I even knew that it was happening. Luckily, a second clinic opened (which I discovered through a random email) and I was able to get in (b/c of my wonderful boyfriend lending me the moola).
This weekend has been above and beyond anything that I could have imagined it to be. First off, Bobby McGee (http://www.bobbymcgee.com/) was the presenter for Running Skills and Mental Training. Unbelievable! He had coached some of the most amazing athletes and is one of the most engaging speakers I have heard. He also passed on the critical knowledge, which I had most of down, but helped reinforce. Yesterday, Bob Seebohar (http://fuel4manceblog.blogspot.com/) lectured on Sports Nutrition. Again, one of the best out there and also gave me lots of new info! This workshop has really lit a fire in me to get out and find a way to get involved with coaching again. It has also helped me know where I need to improve and where I am successful.
Of course, the training has been limited. Before leaving, I had a great TT (i think, results have not been posted yet). The breathing felt better and I felt like I could push hard. Nice long run with a 20-min race effort in the middle on Thursday. I got out on the bike today and all I have to say is "I love VT"! Very funny considering that I am always telling Luke that I want to move around. I have completely lost any skill that I had for riding in traffic. Tomorrow is only a 1/2 day of lecture so I should be able to get back to VT for my long run and then off to Tupper Lake to ride the race course on Monday! Having fun and feeling good :)

Not a Fun Race Report

So Sunday was my 1st triathlon of the season. And it was not the way that I wanted the season to start. I should have thought something was not right when the day before everyone that I talked to seemed to think I was tired or sick. Mentally, I was ready and excited to race. The tri started out with a 500 meter pool swim. Normally, I go out really hard and die because you have been sitting around waiting for 1 hour to swim. I was smarter this year and went out easy and ended up winning the swim. Although it was fun to finish first, my time was 3 seconds slower than last year. Not a big deal but I could begin to feel that something was off. The bike course did not get any better. I tried to spin as much as I could but I could not go anywhere. I could not get my body to push itself. The run: ahhhhhh.......i do not know where to begin, I have never felt so bad off the bike. My chest felt like it was compressed, I had to keep popping my ears, and I walked so much. It was kind of scary having that feeling of not being able to breathe. Very weird and also very embarrassing considering the race was only 3.1 miles. I am not sure what was wrong with me race day. I have been having allergies and a sore throat all week but I am not sure if that could have produced such an awful race. I do not get too upset over bad races and am feeling very confidant in my training. The bummer is that this is the only tri that I am doing before my 1/2.
Monday was much better with a long 70-mile bike ride. I have to get my long ride in on Monday because of the race this weekend. My breathing was better because I was working at such a low intensity and it did take a good 50-miles for the legs to warm up. I guess I will just have to try to push my brick workouts a little harder to see if that will better prepare me.

Fitting it all in!

When I started my IM training I thought that it would take a lot of motivation and drive to keep myself from missing my workouts. Lately it seems that I am having trouble knowing what to cut out and keep in. For instance, this Sunday I will be racing in the Swimming Hole Tri. It is a local race with the swim being held in the pool. It is not something I am training for but I still want to do good. In my mind, I am planning a long run on Sat and a long ride on Sunday, knowing that this will probably not be the best for my body. I also want to be able to compete in all of the time trials and the fun Elmore Tri's. Again, knowing that I need to tell myself to just pick one. And it would be nice to get a full day off. But for now, my motivation is high and my body is feeling really good.
Wednesday was a new TT on Country Road in Montpelier. It was a very hilly, rolling course. I felt strong but know that I did not push as hard as I could have simply b/c of not knowing the course. It will be interested to see what my time was in comparison to the others once results are posted. I had a great run yesterday with 4x4 minute pick-ups. I am really feeling strong at my pick-up pace and am hoping to push that paces this Sunday.
My goal for this race is to stay mentally strong on the run and work the hill section on the bike course. I know that if I stay strong and fast feet on the run I will place well with a good time. Every year that I have done this race I have choked on the run. This year will be different!

Back in the Swing of Things

So after a rainy, cold week and a very busy time at work I am finally back on the training wagon. I really only missed 2 workouts during a recovery week but left me feeling out of sorts. I also had to do my long ride on Monday and actually skipped my long run. Although I will be doing my long run today but again skipping my long run next week because of a race. It is very hard to set your schedule when working weekends and although I know it doesn't matter if my long rides/runs are not on the weekends it just doesn't feel right. But anway, my long ride went awesome yesterday. 56 miles on my time trial bike and I would guess that I spent at least 3/4's of the time in aero position. My legs felt strong and my nutrition was great. I did a fast-paced 15-minute T-run afterwards. I am trying to get my body used to a hard heart rate for this upcoming race on Sunday. My mission this week is to search our a great women's saddle for my tri bike. I made some small adjustments to my seat yesterday (or I should say, Luke made the adjustments) which did help but the seat is just crappy as it is.

I also am officially registered for the 3-mile Kingdom Swim on July 25th (www.kingdomswims.org) . I am also contemplating if I should race the Musselman 1/2 on July 19th. I did this 1/2 last year and it was great. The only 1/2 I will be racing this year is Tupper Lake at the end of June. I feel like it would be beneficial to get in 2 1/2s before IM but the dates are not what I ideally would want. I feel like I should have more time in between to rest and get in solid training time. I know races are great for you but it drives me nuts when I don't get in everything I designed in my training placed (OCD).

Today, nice 8-mile Stowe loop and weights.

Money in the Bank

Another weekend of putting some "money in the bank". I upped my long ride from last weekend to a 5-hour ride this week. It was a challenging course traveling north up the mountains, then east over the mountain range and then finally south (not climbing a mountain). It's impossible to find a flat ride anywhere in VT. The ride was gorgeous with hardly any cars, lots of sunshine and lots of wind (I am beginning to just accept that all my long rides will be windy). My legs felt strong and I set a nice, steady pace. Again, I was riding alone and feeling very confident. My only error was not bringing enough food with me and I finished the last 90-minutes with only gatorade. So the hill heading home was again a killer (but still a little better from last week). I made it home and skipped the t-run, I am not really sure how people are doing T-runs after those long bike rides. The long ride this week is only 3-hours so I must make sure to get in a good T-run.
Our Wed. time trial was cancelled due to rain. This week has been pretty much a wash out. Missed my run on Thursday but have nothing scheduled for Friday so I need to kick myself in the but to get out there after work.
It's funny how it is so much easier to do the workouts day after day, but once you miss a day it becomes so challenging. Enough for now as training is not too exciting this week. Just a little over one week till the first race of the season!

Ready for Recovery

After finishing another awesome weekend of training I am looking forward to this "recovery" week coming up.

Randolph Road TT-New PR

I set a new PR on the Randolph Road Time Trail (12.5 miles). I dropped 30seconds off my previous faster time to hit a 34.50 and it felt like I wasn't even pushing as hard as usual (www.stowenordic.org).

Tough Weekend

I am feeling very accomplished after one of the 1st challenging weeks of training. I hit all the key workouts during the week including another Wednesday TT. This weekend was a 4-hour ride which I did by myself (always so much harder) on a very hilly course followed by a 20-min T run. I only ran about 15 minutes but my legs felt good. On Sunday I ran a long run of 90-minutes and felt great. The first solo long ride is always a good wake up call that you have to put the time in on the bike alone. Drafting isn't happening in the IM so I better start training that way.

This week is very similar to last week with a slightly longer bike and run (only by a few minutes). I also will have a challenging TT and track workout this week. I was planning on running a 1/2 marathon this weekend but decided to opt out so I can really get in my long workouts.

Road to the Pogue

Week # 6 of IM training concluded with a 10k trail race. The Road to the Pogue is a beautiful trail race that takes place in Woodstock, VT (www.roadtothepogue.com). It is fairly hilly and takes you past a beautiful pond in the middle of the woods. You peak at the top of Mt. Tom and then head home with the last mile and 1/2 having a nice decline. My goal was to get under 60 minutes and I did. I ran 56 minutes and 41 seconds. I wish I would have went out a little slower and pushed harder on the hills. I was happy that through most of the run I had a positive attitude and told myself to keep pushing. Luke had an awesome race placing 2nd with a time of 35 minutes! SuperFast.

This past week was a great recovery week and leaves me with 18 more weeks till IM. This is where my training book says it is time to get serious! Although I have been very focused and diligent with my training I know that tough stuff is yet to come. I am ready for the pain and also ready to race. My first tri is not until June and that is with a pool swim :(. I am starting to get very anxious but know that is great to keep adding to my base. Today I had a full day off and am feeling slightly moapy and out of it. I swear it is b/c my body didn't get its proper exercise today. But I also know I will be more motivated to get out of bed at 5Am for swim practice. Here's to another week of hard training!

Time Trials

It is time trial season! The first official time trial of Stowe Biking Club (http://www.stowenordic.org/) was yesterday in Middlesex, VT. It was an 8-mile out and back course, fairly flat with lots of rollers. I love this course and usually do a great time here. I felt strong on my time trail bike even though it was my first time on her all year. Unsure of my time as they are very slow to post results. From what I could see of the results I was listed at 27 or 26 something and started at 3:30. My best time is in the low 22's so I know I was fairly close. It was a good experience getting back on the TT bike b/c there was no way I could ride 100+ miles on that right now. My goal is to get on her at least 1x per week on top of TT days. This is week 6 of IM training and is a fairly easy one. I got in a great 50+ ride in Lake Willowbougy, one of my faviorte places to ride (see above). The legs were tired today on my run but I am feeling very fit and strong. This weekend will be a 10k race (Road to the Pogue). I am hoping to get in the low-mid 50's for my time. That's all for now.

Accomplished

I am feeling so accomplished after a great week of training. Up until now I have been training solidly but have missed a workout here and there. This week I hit every key workout that I needed to do. And when something came up where I had to miss my hard run day (Thursday); I made sure to get it in on Friday. I have been motivated and looking forward to each workout. This Saturday was my first long ride of the season (3 1/2 hours). Luke and I head to do the Notch Loop. The notch is a road that runs through Mt. Mansfield. I am unsure of the exact grade but it is steep, very, very, steep.
So steep that the road was still covered in snow on some parts. The great part was that the road was still closed to traffic and we had the place all to ourselves. I really could feel the hill on the rest of the ride. My legs are still not as strong as they need to be and Luke pulled me through the headwind all the way home. I also tried Gatorade Rain which is awful. There must be nutri-sweet or some awful sugar in it that did not sit right with me. Today (Sunday), I got out and ran of 90-minutes. Feeling strong until the last 10-15 minutes. I am ok with the fact that I am feeling tired, I expect it at this time of the year. It is so exciting to be able to get all these workouts in outdoors. I was definitely not at this place last year in my training. This upcoming week will also be pretty intense with my first track workout on Thursday. I am steadily losing weight which is great and helping with the running. The feet are feeling pretty good and I have no complaints in that department.
I was talking in my sleep the other night about massages so I think I may be treating myself to a Patty massage soon!

Recovery Week

Although this past week was only week #3 of IM training it was dedicated as "recovery". Why is that? Because I got to spend this weekend in Woodstock, NY relaxing at the Emerson Resort and Spa (http://www.emersonplace.com/) and hiking with Freddie. Why did I do that? Because Luke was busy working hard at Mark Wilson's triathlon camp http://www.hvtc.net/ . This was a Christmas present that I had purchased for Luke and it was very hard not doing it myself but I passed it up because of $$$$ and I wanted to enjoy the weekend at the spa. I got an awesome treatment that massaged the whole body with these herbal bags. Envision a giant tea bag mixed with hot oil. I also got to enjoy the hot tub, steam rooms and sauna. I did get a little activity in with some Freddie walks, but nothing to consider training. During the week I did get two long bike rides in. With one tire explosion. But only 1 run day. So this week's goal is to get in all of my planned training sessions. If I should skip anything it should be swimming. The good news is I am relaxed, rested and ready to train! (the picture above was a nice gift left to use from the GM at Emerson Place, we got VIP attention b/c I was on an exchange from Trapp's)

Running Strong

Week #2--Another great week of IM training under my belt. I competed in a half-marathon this weekend for my long run training. I was hoping to hold 10-minute miles and I did. I completed the run in 2 hours and 6 minutes, felt strong the whole way and was not very sore the next day www.runvermont.org .
With the weather being rainy and cold, biking was very difficult. I only rode 1x last week so my goal this week is to get out on the bike. I'm off to a great start as I got out for a 2.5 hour ride yesterday. I also competed in a small swim meet at the Swimming Hole last Friday. Boy, do I not miss pool racing. I arrived 2 minutes prior to my 1st event (time confusion). Each race felt worse than the one before. I never warmed up and got into that racing mode. Not a big deal considering I was preping for the 1/2 the next morning. Just a fun week of racing and training.

Week #1, ASICS and Noni Juice

Week #1 of Ironman training is officially history. Although this base period is pretty much what I have been doing all during the winter it was nice to get into logging the workouts and holding myself more accountable. Highlight of the week was definitely during my bike workout where I had a moose sighting. Spring has officially arrived with rain/snow showers everyday so my long 2-hour ride was completed on the spin cycle.

I got sucked into the hype of PowerJuices. Specifically, Noni Juice. Noni is an adaptogenic herbal tonic, which means it works throughout the body to invigorate and strengthen the system. Native to the Pacific Islands, Asia, and Australia, the Noni plant is rich in health-promoting phytochemicals including antioxidants and bioflavonoids. Noni has been known to provide various health benefits, including supporting immune function. I am mostly just taking it as a preventative thing. So far, so good.

I also purchase new shoes. My other Asics have been feeling kind of hard lately and I have now moved on to the Gel Nimbus. I have tried the Nimbus before and did not get a "yes, this was worth $120". But yesterday, I got that feeling. Especially when I jumped on the treadmill after spin class. They feel amazing. I can not wait to get out and run long in them. Let's hope they keep that feeling going.

Up for this week: The Swimming Hole Masters Swim Meeting, Vermont Unplugged 1/2 (weather dependant).

24 Weeks

Yesterday marked the 24-week countdown to IM Wisconsin. My specific IM training plan is 24 weeks although I have been base building all winter. I actually completed an 11-mile run on Sunday which was a super confidence builder for the running department. Although training is now official, I am still in base building for the next 6 weeks. The goal is to stay patient and let the fitness continue to build. I will be posting my weekly training workouts on here to keep the motivation going. Upcoming: Swim meeting: April 10th, 1/2 marathon April 11th!

Early Spring in Vt makes training easier!

When the snow melts and the sun is shining in VT everyone gets out on their bikes. I think I have seen more people out riding in the past 3 days then you see on a nice summer day. Vermonters are ready to get outside. Temp's in the 50's definitly make it easier to get outside and training. Yesterday was an awesome training day. 1 hour master swim practice in the AM with a 3-mile run followed by an hour spin class in the evening.
Today, 25-mile bike loop outside! Can't wait. Just wanted to log in to keep this motivation going. Also, in search of a 1/2 marathon within the next month. Will not be able to participate in the Rollin Irish because of Luke's training weekend in Woodstock, NY.

Pre-season Training in Naples, Fl

So Ironman Wisconsin training officially begins March 30th! At this point I have been pointing in some awesome base training with my swimming and running. I just returned from a great vacation/training week in Naples, Florida. The best part of this trip was definitly getting to swim with the Masters team at the Norris Aquatic Center. They have practices 3 times per day with the most awesome time being 12-2pm. There is nothing better than getting your workout in while tanning. On our first visit there (yes, I dragged Luke with me) the pool was set up to 25 yards, not bad, but I was hoping to swim 50-meters. We swam about 5ooo yards each day with our final practice setup long course! It is amazing what a faster swimmer I am in long course.
The best part about this team is that they welcome visitors and let you swim with no charge.

I also stuck with my running. It was much less a battle to get out and run with the temps in the 70's. I got in 3 good days with my longest run going a little over an hour. Now that I have returned to the snow, sleet, and rain that is spring in Vermont; I must keep the motivation going. Before leaving I got a cyclocross bike so that I can get out earlier on the roads. Iwill hopefully get out soon with the snow clearing up by the end of this week. More training updates coming soon! Looks like today will be an hour on the treadmill.

2009 Race Calender

April 18th: Rollin Irish 1/2 Marathon
May 23rd: Sea Isle City Sprint Tri
June 7th: Swimming Hole Tri (sprint)
June 27th: Tupper Lake 1/2 Ironman
July 12th: Vermont Sun Sprint
July 25th: 3 mile Kingdom Swim
August 9th: Lake Dunmore Olympic
September 13th: Ironman Wisconsin

Training Update

So it has been a long while since my last entry where I was doing pretty much nothing for my training. I have entered my preparation stage of training and it is feeling great! I have been swimming with Stowe Masters (www.theswimminghole.com) three mornings/week. Yes, the 5:00am wake-up call is tough but it has become habit once again. The running has been steady and then sporadic but will become steady again. Awesome news: I have been waking up every morning with less pain in my feet. I have become a believer in acupuncture and just finished a month long session of bikram yoga (www.bikramyogastowe.com) that has helped loosen everything up. Cycling-not so much, but not a worry because getting on my bike is never a problem once all the snow disappears.
Athletic accomplishment: I finished a 25k cross-country ski yesterday. I participated in the Craftsbury Marathon. It was a great physical challenge for me and made me appreciate running a litter more. That's all for now. By my next post I hope to be doing long runs of 10-16 miles!