Being immersed in the fitness industry provides me with a ton of different opportunities to experience different techniques, methodologies, and products. I recently had the privilege of a...
Early ChristmaRamaKwanzaKah for the Goof
My Thursday turned out to be an extremely awesome day. At work things seem to take a positive step and coaching at Fit2Run last night was enlightening and productive, but the best part was all the cool stuff I received without notice.
I went to Fit2Run last night just to mainly help out with the Half Marathon groups. There are runners that are training for all the races coming up; the Clearwater Holiday Halfathon, the Clearwater Marathon, Disney Distance Weekend and the Princess Half, Gasparilla, Best Damn Race and the Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon. Thursday’s are speedwork days for these runners and Eric planned numerous one minute sprints with one minute rest in between. I have no idea how many we did, but I was tuckered afterward. Of course I can’t help but put in my own two cents as a coach with runners when I notice issues in their form. One runner I spent about fifteen minutes on his form and things changed immediately for him and he was so grateful. That is the best gift I was given, but they just kept coming.
I was leaving for the night when Eric caught me and told me the Brooks representative sent gifts for us. I got a brand new pair of Brooks Green Silence which are incredibly light. I haven’t run in them yet but I am totally looking forward to it. They sure look cool, am I right? I did try them on and they are so comfortable, that I am aching to get a run in them tomorrow. With the Brandon Half Marathon on Sunday I probably won’t do too much but I it is going to be fun.
The gifts didn’t stop there. Eric handed me two more packages from Brooks. This really awesome running jacket and a pair of shorts. James said that he is getting all sorts of compliments on the jackets and the models are not even out yet so he can’t put them in the store yet. What an awesome night. Speed work and then early holiday gifts….what could be better than that?
I will tell you, a package arriving with the new Nikon Coolpix S10 that’s what!
Taken with my 3 mp camera phone |
Pretty sweet right? The camera fits perfectly in that little change pocket in your jeans and can be taken anywhere. I was thinking it would be perfect for this blog. It takes pics from 2-10 megapixels, has a flash, a 5x optical zoom, virtual stabilization, HD video the works. I was so excited as I was playing around with it, unfortunately, I am sad to say, as a Nikon it does not live up to my expectations. I am going to write a full review as a posting later on, but the gist is that the pics are grainy when the light is not optimal.
Taken with the Nikon Coolpix S10 |
As you can see, this was in decent light with a flash and my beautiful little Mikali looks grainy. I took a bunch of pics with different settings and this was the best one. *sniff* *sigh*
I have repackaged it up and I am returning it to Amazon. It sucks because the camera is just perfectly convenient. This is the first version of this camera, so it’s obvious I have not learned my lesson on buying the first generation of electronics as of yet.
I have signed up with the ladies to do a picture a day holiday challenge, where I post one photo a day that coincides with a word for that day. If you see anything in the area that makes you think of the daily word let me know, or take the challenge yourself. Just take the pic and post it on Twitter with the hashtag #Holidayaday.
Thinking about Ironman, and help for a great cause.
The political season is over! Finally, the earful of negative spouting and cursing from each candidate is finished and our communities can get back to the business of living and of course, working out.
I have an affinity for doing my best thinking in the shower. I know, kind of weird right. It must be because there is nothing in there except the overwhelming peace of the hot water being sprayed all over….uh…..well, you know what I mean. (At least I hope.) Anyway, I was trying to figure out how can I possibly complete all of my workouts for Ironman without it obsessively impacting my life as it did last year. I am still having an issue with it, but I think I figured it out to a point. I know I have three workouts in each event, plus 3 strength workouts, and hopefully 1 yoga class per week. Here is what I have so far:
Monday – Interval Swim, Strength
Tuesday – Tempo Swim, Interval Bike (2-a-day)
Wednesday – Interval Run, Strength
Thursday – Tempo Run, Tempo Bike (2-a-day)
Friday – Long Swim (as recovery)
Saturday – Long Bike ( Subst. Bricks), Yoga
Sunday – Long Run, Strength (Subst. Swim Bricks)
As you can see if I can pull this off then I only have two nights a week where I have 2-a-days and they are bike workouts and can be completed in front of the TV using commercials for intervals. Saturday will still be long workouts, but Sundays should be done by late morning. It works out within my groups as well, since Wednesday morning is track with Coach Dror, my interval workout, Thursday, I have been running with Jackie and crew since they do their easy runs which is tempo for me, and the weekends will continue to be long bike workouts and bricks with the A-Train. I am also contemplating swim workouts on Monday and Tuesday possibly being at the University of Tampa and their masters program which may provide some instruction, but mainly accountability.
I really do not have to start all of this until January if I decide to do Ironman Louisville, or March if I decide to compete only in Ironman Florida, but it has been rattling around inside my brain because I really want to perform much better this time. I am planning on pushing my body to its limits at IMFL and to find out what I really can do, and that is going to take planning, commitment, desire, passion, but most of intelligence. It is going to take smarts to know when and how to recover which is not something I have been all to familiar with.
I am not sure whom is all reading my blog but for those of you whom are not followers of Sneakers & Fingerpaints, or Crazy Running Girl, there is a virtual run campaign for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. I donated my 7.5 mile PR this morning, and I hope you will help as well.
The American Red Cross is still taking donations to help the Hurricane Sandy victims from this past weekend. Also, now not only are they recovering from that storm and rebuilding, but they are awaiting a snow storm on their door step. To Donate, click here. Any amount, big or small, can make a big difference!
With a minimum donation of $10, you can go to the link above to register to run in the month of November – there are also prizes to be won as well & all proceeds would go to the American Red Cross too! Nothing like a great, virtual run, for a great cause!
How to Race Ironman Florida With Very Little Stress
I have a lot of friends that are competing in the Florida Ironman this weekend. This is the granddaddy of endurance competitions right in the heart of the panhandle Florida at Panama City Beach.
I want to wish you all the best of luck and I know you will all be an Ironman at the end. Of course, a couple of them already are, but that doesn’t change the challenge any.
As I did this last year I want to give you the lessons I learned while taking on this challenge. Take them or leave them, but hopefully, you will take something out of it and if not another reader might find a helpful hint to take on their journey to the Ironman Triathlon in their future.
Left to right: Eve, Kat, Marai, Summer, Mary-Ellen & Iron Rick, Anne, Carola (Not pictured: Rick Jansik and David Nardoski) |
- Double check your gear on Thursday when you arrive. Most likely you will know someone coming up on Friday, so they can bring an item you may have left behind.
- Go to Athlete Check-In early Thursday or when you arrive on Wednesday. Get it over with so you have all of your gear bags and as you unpack you can start to pack them.
- Buy all of the SWAG and stuff you want early. They run out fast and if you follow #2 then you will not have to wait in line. For some reason, Ironman does not hire the fastest cashiers in the world and the line seems to take forever.
- Swim a portion of the course early on Thursday morning as close to race time as possible. Notice the current, the temperature, how long it took you to warm up, and any wildlife in the water. Double check to make sure your wetsuit is fitting correctly and any adjustments you needed to make to feel comfortable.
- Write these ideas and any other adjustments down. Then the excitement of the race does not bode too well for memory cells. It is best to be able to look over a checklist on Saturday Morning.
- If you do not have the experience do not feel invincible enough to rent race wheels or if you do, rent them at home and bring your training wheels with you. The weather may say 5-7 mph wind gusts on Friday, but that can change to 20 mph in a heartbeat and a lot of miles are spent in the crosswind.
- Ride on Thursday as well. Ride a few minutes in each of the major gears and in the low chainring to spin your legs and get some blood moving. This will also check your bike for any adjustments you may need. There is always a bike maintenance tent at the expo. Ride after you swim in case you need to get some maintenance done.
- Keep eating and keep hydrating especially on Thursday. Thursday is actually more important than Friday as far as nutrition and rest are concerned.
- Do not run on Thursday. Save the pounding for Saturday.
- Plan for a long, long sleep on Thursday. The excitement is building but not enough to hinder your sleep on Thursday vs Friday. Friday will be a completely anxious day and that night will be hard to sleep. Get it on Thursday. No alarms, no loud roommates, just sleep as long as you can. Once your up, you’re awake and it will be hard to get back to sleep.
- Walk through your transitions and even legs and make a checklist for your gear bags. This works. (ex. I get out of the water, strip my wetsuit, go to the tent and I put on my shoes, helmet, glasses..etc…then write down “shoes, helmet, glasses, and anything else”) Make sure you walk through your nutrition plan as well, to make sure you have enough nutrition on the bike. If you are putting the powder in bottles, do that at this time as well. It is your choice if you want to add the water today or tomorrow, but put the powder in the bottles. (Personally I put my bottles completely together and put them in the freezer. By the time you get on the bike they will be almost thawed and you will have ice cold hydration)
- Put your gear bags together on Thursday night, when you are calmer. You are more likely not to forget anything. You will still have a few things to put in them but the bulk will be there.
- Plan for a special needs bag for the run, but ride with what you will need for the full 112 miles. The stopping for the special needs bag is not worth the time. Have what you need, and if you do come into a situation there are aid stations every 10 miles, they will help.
- Do put a special needs bag aside for the run. This is just for some warmer clothes just in case the temp drops. You probably will not need it, but at least it will be there. Do not trust the forecast in Panama City.
- Do a 15/15/15 workout on Friday. 15 min swim, bike and then run to clear all the excess and get your legs feeling like they need to for the next morning. It sounds weird for the day before such a hard day, but trust me this will make you feel much more confident.
- After you return and shower after your little workout check your gear bags one last time. Empty each of them out and run through your checklist one last time. You can turn these in, pretty early on Friday, and you will want to so you can just relax the rest of the day.
- Relax as much as possible on Friday. Put your feet up, watch TV, play some cards, but relax.
- Do not forget to eat and drink. Follow your nutrition plan which should include your meals on Friday.
- Lay down and try to sleep no later than 8:30. 3:30 am comes awfully quick.
- Get up at 3:30a and take a shower. This will awaken you and start your day.
- Have a nice breakfast by 4:30. This will make sure you have all the nutrients in your body by the 7 am start time.
- If you train with a gel, have one in each sleeve of your wetsuit. It is always a little chilly on Saturday morning, so even if it is uncomfortable, your wetsuit provides warmth. If you have a sleeveless put the gels in your pant legs. I also put a couple of Imodium as well, but that works for me. I suggest it if you know it does not cause side effects for you.
- Find your friends and have them near you at the start. This helps. It provides some comfort because the rest of the day…you will be most likely alone.
- Have one of those gels 10 minutes before the start of the race and the second one while you are running back into the water on your second loop.
- Put a smile on your face. If you are terrified then fake it. Most of the time faking it will make it true.
- Trust your training it got you here now it is time to have confidence in it.
- Do not eat or drink anything but water for the first 15-20 minutes of your bike. Your body is making a switch. Allow it to settle before you put anything in your stomach.
- Ride your own race. Do not worry if others are passing you. You have a plan stick to it. Enjoy the scenery and get lost in it.
- If you have a watch with a timer use it. I personally had my alarm go off every 15 minutes so I knew to make sure I was drinking and eating. I knew that I had to take in a quarter of bottle every 15 minutes and a gu every 45. In the Ironman if you get behind on your nutrition it is a hard fight back.
- Salt – Make sure you have enough salt. I took 250 mg every hour and I had no cramping at all.
- Do not deviate from your plan. You spent a lot of time putting this plan together do not deviate even if you feel great. You never know what the course will bring.
- HAVE FUN! This may feel like the longest day of your life while you are competing, but after you cross the finish line it will feel like it went by in a blink of an eye. Enjoy it! You spent a lot of time training for this, have some fun.
- Last but not least. Watch when you are coming into the finish shoot. If there are people around you, either slow a little or speed up and make sure you are alone as possible coming across the finish line. This is going to be your moment. It should be one of the few times in your life you should be selfish. Savor it. You swam, cycled and ran the whole thing alone, cross the finish line alone. Trust me here, you will thank me for it when you see the video later.
I am so proud of all of you. I am so lucky to be able to call you my friends and I know you will all be amazing. I will be there volunteering and I really hope I get to see everyone.
Kick some booty. Ironmen and women.
Fantastic Friday – Race Weekend
Revolution 3 Florida 70.3 is on Sunday, and today is the day a touch of anxiety fills my senses. I have done all of this before and not too long ago, but there is a certain security to my anxiety. If I don’t feel it then there is something wrong. I expect it to build as certain events happen this weekend; athlete check-in, dropping my bike in transition, prepping my transition bag, body marking, setting up my transition and finally waiting for my heat time. Anxiety has a negative tendency to it due to all the drugs out there we have to control it, but there is a certain excitement built in as well.
Here is my typical routine for race weekend.
Friday – this is my rest day. I will not work out. I will just roll and stretch. If I am staying at the race I will try and check-in but in the weekend’s case I will be checking in on Saturday. I try to take in a little extra hydration today to start allowing my muscles to saturate with water so they are efficient on Sunday. This is the last night I’ll have salad or fiber until Sunday. I don’t want any surprises while I am on the bike or the run that will cause me to stop. I try to stay off my feet most of the day and get as much sleep as possible because I know I will not sleep much tomorrow night.
Saturday – I do try to sleep in, well, sleep in for me which means anything after 6 am. I hopefully will sleep until at least 7 am and then grab a snack and head out for a 15/15/15 workout. 15 minute Swim/Bike/Run just to get some blood to the muscles. After a hearty breakfast with plenty of water, I tend to want to get Athlete check-in completed and my bike safely placed into transition giving me the rest of the day to relax and take my mind off the race. Dinner will usually consist of lean meat or fish, a sweet potato, and possibly a vegetable like green beans, or squash, something lower in fiber. In Augusta, I had a couple glasses of wine around 5 pm and I did well because I slept a little more. I may try that again this time. After dinner, I will start putting my gear together. I will lay out everything on the floor, check to make sure I have everything by running through the race in my head. After that, I have a crazy tradition of putting a collage together with what I plan on wearing, my race bib, shoes, glasses, hat helmet and whatever and taking a picture and posting it. That is like my final step in accepting that the race is tomorrow and that I am ready for it. At that point, I make sure I have an extra bottle of water and make my way to bed to relax. I usually won’t be able to sleep until midnight or so. Even in Augusta I think it was 11:30 before the wine finally hit may and I fell asleep. In the race recap, I also mentioned the alarm didn’t go off and I overslept, so this time I am double checking my alarm and having my phone’s alarm set for 5 minutes later.
Sunday – I usually get up and shower in order to wake myself up. I also have this crazy psychosis that the productive day doesn’t start until I have a shower, so this also puts in my mind it is time to start the day. I will then probably have a good breakfast which until recently was oatmeal, but this Sunday it will be eggs and a sweet potato. I’ll put coffee in a travel mug, grab my gear and head to transition. Sunday it will be a little earlier to get started since I will have a 45-minute drive to get to the race, but I’ll enjoy the solitude of my car to go over my race strategy. I’ll park, set up my transition and head to the water. Hopefully, I’ll find the rest of the A-train and some other buddies to socialize with prior to the race which always seems to calm me down a bit.
Those are my plans for the weekend and my pre-race routine. It usually works for me and maybe it will help someone else out there who is starting in this awesome sport.
Tribute Tuesday #1 – Amy Bennett Eck
I mentioned yesterday I am planning on having a regular column called Tribute Tuesday where I will select someone in my life who has had a positive influence on me in some way or another. Most of the time these people will have coached to increase my athletic prowess (which is actually pretty easy), challenge me intellectually (which isn’t really all that hard either), and/or inspire me to be a better human being. My first Tribute Tuesday subject has done all three. With no further ado I would like to introduce my coach, and friend; Amy Eck.