Ahhh……. one of those weeks

I was so excited to start my IM workouts, the 1^st and 2^nd weeks were exhilarating, I’m going be an IRONMAN!  Well, the 3^rd week has not been so joyful.  I’ve been tired; I think it’s a combination of work stress and working out.  My legs have felt tired, my shoulders hurt, and I thought I was going sink like a rock at swim practice last night!  Now, I did expect to have bad weeks, this is just the first of several, I’m sure of that.  I just felt like I should commemorate my 1^st Yuck week with a blog post!

Each year I create a motivational page to go in the front of my workout binder.  I think that I need to take a good look at my 2014 page.  See below:

Corn, and not the good kind!

I have had feet issues over the past year.  I have always had a few calluses but a few rubs with a pumice stone a couple of times a week have taken care of them.  Then, last year I got plantar warts.  Gross, right!  After several treatments over a couple of months with Dr. Scholl’s Corn Removers my plantar warts were gone!   I would leave the corn pad and medicated disc on for 2 days, then cut the dead skin away with a pair of pointy finger nail clippers, then rub with a pumice stone.  I was sooooo excited to finally be rid of them! 

Then about a month ago my heel started hurting and I thought that I had a stone bruise.  The pain got worse and worse and then my other heel started to hurt.  I noticed these hard calluses looking things on my heels.  After some internet research, I realized that they were CORNS!  I thought that a callus and corn was the same thing, but boy was I wrong. The calluses were just annoying, the corns were Painful!  After more treatments with Dr. Scholl’s, cutting away the dead skin, and rubbing with a pumice stone, I’m finally seeing some progress.  Last night I decided to put Aquaphor (which is the best stuff ever) on the corns and cover with a band-aid for the day. Hopefully, this will help soften the skin.

Garmin 910XT Review

So I got this wonder watch for Christmas from my dear husband.  I have been so excited about it because I’m a data junkie!  I have used this watch during my first week of Ironman Texas training.  Here goes my review for each sport.

Running – I have completed some long runs and one interval run.  I have been using a Garmin Forerunner 110 so I was used to a GPS running watch.  However, the Garmin 910XT has more features that I really liked!  I like that I can customize the screen to show up to 4 data fields.  Currently, I use the time, pace, and distance fields.  I was curious and apprehensive about using the interval function.  I wasn’t sure that it would keep my total distance, but after I used it I absolutely loved it.  I set up the workout that included a warm-up, intervals, and cool-down. I also like that the watch beeps and vibrates.   I really enjoyed the little song that was played at the end of the workout!  Hey it’s the little things that count!

Bike – I have used the watch on the trainer and on an outdoor ride.  I have a power meter and I love that all my data is stored on one device and can be transferred to Training Peaks.  I do not have the bike mount so I turn the watch around so that it is on the inside of my wrist.  I can easily see the display screen while in aero position.

Swim – I have only used the watch once for swimming in a 25 yard pool.  I had a little difficulty keeping up with my laps.  My workout consisted of a warm-up, drills, main set, and cool-down.  I did not realize that the watch would not count the laps in which I used a kickboard!  My coach told me to stop the watch after every set and she recommended that I read DC Rainmaker’s Review.

Overall – LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this watch!!! All my data is stored in one place and can easily be transferred to Garmin Connect or Training Peaks.  The more I use this watch the more I love it!

The Beginning of IMTX Training

So I signed up for Ironman Texas 2014!  We had our meeting last night and needless to say, I’m somewhat nervous AGAIN!  I took 2 weeks off during the holidays because of travel and now with the frigid temperatures I’m finding it difficult to get back into training mode.  I had rather be curled up beside our fireplace with a cup of something hot with a book!  I scored some fabulous tri gear for Christmas, here is what I got:

• Garmin Forerunner 910XT – I am super excited about this watch!  I have been using a Forerunner 110 and I loved it.  So far I have completed 2 runs and 1 trainer bike ride with the 910 and I can already see the benefits.  I have a Powertap and the 910XT gives me so much more data and I haven’t even swam with it yet.

• Camelback Podium water bottles – I had one of these in the smaller version and I decided that I needed 2 matching ones for my XLAB rear hydration system.  I always have trouble getting the top of the bottle open and getting it back closed; somehow I always end up sticky.  Well, these bottles are the solution.
  
  
• Moving Comfort Vixen Sports Bra – The absolute best, no chaffing whatsoever.  It is also slightly padded so it helps flatter the figure and smooth everything out

• Brooks Ghost 6 – This is my favorite shoe and this version seems a little lighter than previous versions.  I also love the pink and navy color scheme!
  
  
   
• OakleyHalf-Jacket Accessory Lenses in H.I. Yellow – I haven’t worn these yet, but I do have these lenses in dark grey polarized and I often find them too dark when riding my bike or running on the dirt roads where there is dappled sunshine.  But I do need some type of glasses, especially when riding the bike because my eyes water.  I hope these work!
   
• The Stick TravelStick – I have tight hamstrings and I usually get my husband to rub me down with a tennis ball.  I have used this a few times and it feels great, I can also bring it to work with me.

• Ironman Championship DVDs – I got these for myself to watch on those long trainer rides!

Now that I’m geared up I hope that my motivation gears up too!

2014 Logjammer Half-Marathon Race Report

 

I raced this race last year as part of my training for an early December marathon.  I actually ran 4 miles before the race and 4 miles after the race, so my time wasn’t that fast.  Last year the weather was perfect, 40-50 degrees, sunny, and no wind.

This year, I have started a pre-Ironman training program and my longest run since February has been 7 miles.  I was hoping for a PR just because the course is flat and I was well rested, but I wasn’t going to be heartbroken it didn’t happen.  The weather was terrible; it was hot, humid, and windy so I ditched my PR aspirations around mile 6.  I didn’t take my own fluids and all I had was a gel.  There was a lack of water stations between mile 3 and 7.  I drank water/powerade at every station, I even drank 2 cups at mile 7, but the last 2 miles my feet and calves started to cramp.  I couldn’t get up on my toes to accelerate so I finished with a kinda shuffle run.  I stayed in the finishing area about 5 mins because my left foot was cramping.  I drank water, chocolate milk, and some Coca-Cola and I didn’t catch anymore cramps for the rest of the day.

I did run my second best time ever!  I ran a 1:51:05, that’s an average of 8:28 min/mile.  I placed 1^st in my age group out of 36 runners age 30-34.  I placed 53^rd overall out or 440 runners.  I’m very pleased with my performance, and I’ve learned more about nutrition and fluid consumption in hot and humid conditions.  This knowledge will come in handy during IM training. 

Official IMTX registered participant!

I have been saying for months that I was going to do Ironman Texas in May 2014, but I just couldn’t bring myself to register.  It is such a big commitment to register for something 6 months before the event, but I finally decided that I would be disappointed with myself if I didn’t participate because the race filled up.   I don’t want to be one of those people that look back and say, “What if?”  I want to try my best to live my life with no regrets.   I registered first thing this morning and I felt a surge of adrenaline.  I can’t wait for all my hard work to pay off!

Get ready to follow my Ironman journey!

Treadmill Hill/Interval Workout – Mind Over Matter

I have been a runner for years and I have NEVER completed a treadmill run.  I have done some elliptical workouts and I ride my bike on the indoor trainer but in my mind, running on a treadmill was impossible for me.  I run outdoors in all sorts of weather conditions, but because of the time change, getting home near dark, and my recent run-ins with rattlesnakes I decided to give the treadmill at my local gym a try.  I had a 1:08 hill/interval run planned.  I really enjoy interval bike workouts on my indoor trainer so I thought this would be a good place to start.

Well, I just made up my mind that I was going to complete the run on the treadmill and I did.  Nothing fancy, no deep inspiration, just mind of matter.  It wasn’t that bad but I felt like I would have run faster outdoors.  I guess it will take me time to get used to it!  I’m I looking forward to my next treadmill run, not really, but I do look forward to completing workouts.  So, if running on a treadmill is what it takes, then I know that I can do it!