Reflections in the Pool

I got back in the pool today.  Our beloved Sakamoto Pool, which is right across the street from work (I know, how awesome is that?!), finally reopened after being closed for well over a year.

This particular pool is a special place for me since it's the one in which I really learned how to swim (thanks to Rebecca - I will never forget that!).  You know, when you actually put your face in the water rather than thrashing around like a long-armed puppy.  It was those first few lessons that really got me to the start line of my first triathlon.

Now that it has reopened, it's summer, and I'm done with Cycle to the Sun, I need to get back on a more regular training schedule, even though I have no races on the calendar right now.  This means maintaining my hard earned bike fitness, rehabbing my stupid left foot, getting back in the gym for weight training, and spending a couple of times in the pool each week.  And for me, right now, that means Monday and Friday at lunch.

I was excited about today - got my bag together, made sure I had all my fun pool stuff (including my Simmons BSC top (thanks, Michelle!) - nothing like a like sparkle to get you motivated!).  I was going to walk over, but my foot is still bitching so, yes, I drove across the street at lunch time and got right in.

I didn't do anything hard or fast.  Just 200 swim, 200 kick, 200 pull x 2, then finished with 300 swim for a tidy 1500.  Easy pace.  It felt good.  It was long course, too, which I like so much better.

At one point during my last 300 as I was approaching the turn in the shallow end I felt the sun shining on my back.  I thought, right then, how lucky I was to be in the pool at that moment, when everything felt right.

I hope I have more of those moments.

(I'm still finishing my Cycle to the Sun race report - coming soon.)

(By My)self Motivation

A view of the water and Molokai from somewhere in Napili - sweet backdrop for a ride!

A five-hour Zone 2 ride was on the books for Saturday.  A nice break (thanks, coach!) from all of the strength work trainer rides and climbing done over the past few weeks getting ready for Cycle to the Sun at the end of the month.  The only bummer - no one to ride with - but I was looking forward to it anyway.  The honeymoon is not yet over for the bike!

I got a later start than usual and was on the road by 9:45 headed to Paia.  I had mapped out my ride the night before so I had a plan for about 85 miles, which would take me across a lot of the island on a (mostly) flat route.

The trades were already picking up so I had a little bit of a headwind out to Paia, but nothing too harsh.  I turned around and headed back toward town, around the harbor and up to Waiehu - by then I was one hour in and things were going well!  I cruised across the base of the West Maui's toward Lahaina and tackled the Pali - it's not that big of a deal, but I've never ridden it by myself.  I'm a firm believer in safety in numbers and this stretch of road can be a little sketchy at times.  I just prayed everyone was paying attention.

I hit Oluwalu at about 2~ in, so I stopped to refill water and have a snack (mmmm....Amrita bars!) at the general store.  This is the first time I've ever taken my bike into a store - felt a little silly, but it was getting HOT and no one seemed to mind.  Back on the road, through Lahaina (where I veered off for a pit stop and took my bike into the bathroom with me - I have it on good authority that I'm not the only cyclist who does this!) and out to Napili.  As soon as I got back out on the road, my Garmin died.  Not enough charge.  D'oh!

Once I passed Ka'anapali, I hit the tradewinds that wrap around the west side head-on.  It was HOT and that's when the mental chatter began.  I told myself I could turn around at Kahana, but then I got to Kahana and kept going (really missing my buddies, POG and V, by then - POG usually pulls us through this section when the wind gets tough).  By the time I turned around at Napili, I had convinced myself that I was going to stop at McDonald's and get a vanilla cone and a Coke!  After all, I deserved it!  It was HOT, mid-day and it was going to taste AMAZING!  (If you know me at all you know this is crazy talk!)

I passed the Kahana McDonald's because I was on a downhill stretch, telling myself I would stop in Lahaina and spending the next few miles trying to figure out how I was going to manage this on my bike.  Would I go IN with my bike?  Drive-thru?  As I passed Ka'anapali I ran over a bit of tree debris in the shoulder, then THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.  Something was stuck in my tire.  The bike shop was up ahead and if I needed anything I could stop there.  I caught a red light just after, and as soon as I tried to take off - ha ha (insert sound from Simpson's kid here) - flat front tire.  Nice little kiawe thorn about the size of a thumbtack - the bane of cyclists on Maui.

This is the second ever flat tire I've gotten, and the first one I had to change by myself so I was a little panicked at first, but I set to it and was done in about 10 minutes.  NICE!  I stopped at West Maui Cycles and they were awesome - checked to make sure I did it right (because I still had a ways to go before I got home), checked my air pressure, then picked up a spare tube and C02 because I only carry one spare.

After this, McDonald's was completely forgotten.  Nutrition wise everything went rather well - I had water, diluted coconut water, salt stick caps, Amrita bars, a couple of Justin's almond butter packets and a banana for backup.  Right near the end, with about 12 miles to go I really got tired of anything sweet - I think I'll throw in some salted macadamia nuts for next time - they would have been perfect.

I battled the last of the headwinds after I came back over the pali.  I had to take it slower than usual over the pali because the crosswinds coming down through the canyons and ravines were fierce and I almost lost it a couple of times.  I guessed the trade I hit head-on on the last few miles were in the 30mph range.  Slow. Going.

I'm proud of myself for doing it, but after the flat, the stops, and the headwinds I was out there for 7.5 hours.  That's a long freakin' time, midday, in Hawaii, near summer.  And I have the burn lines to prove it (even though I was wearing sunscreen):

Next time I need to bring sunscreen to reapply if I'm going to be out for so long - planned or otherwise.

Amrita Bar Review

Thanks to the world that is Twitter, I have discovered a lot of new things.  One of the most important to my current training and racing nutrition, though, is the amazing Amrita endurance bar.

 


I can't remember who started it, but someone tweeted about Amrita (perhaps @ZenTriathlon?), who was then followed by @CaratunkGirl, then @Tristachelete...all raving about how wonderful they were and what chaos ensued when they ran out.  Always in search of a REAL FOOD fueling option, I decided to check them out (the bars, not the athletes!).

As a Paleo endurance athlete, I've always been on the lookout for a convenience food for training and racing that was made from real food.  More recently I've concentrated on becoming more fat-adapted and gave up commercial sports drinks, bars and gels (virtually all of which are NOT Paleo) in favor of coconut oil, almond butter, some fruit, coconut water and salt stick caps.  I still needed something with a little more carbs to sprinkle throughout long rides and training sessions, and Amrita Bars fit the bill!

I LOVE the fact that these bars are dairy, gluten and soy free.  I also LOVE that they are Plant-Based Nutrition (a nod to ultra-endurance athlete and vegan Rich Roll for making me more aware of the benefits of a plant-based diet) and suitable for vegan or raw athletes as well.  The protein comes from raw sprouted brown rice protein and there is a tiny bit of agave in there, but in some Paleo/Primal camps these can be acceptable.  And really, if that's the worst thing in these bars, what's there to worry about?

I originally ordered a small package of Pineapple Chia, Mango Coconut, and the Chocolate Maca Recovery bars.  At first I thought the taste of the pineapple chia was a bit odd, but it has come to be one of my favorites.  The mango coconut is divine.  My coach is getting on me about fueling enough during longer rides, so I will usually break up two bars (one of each flavor for variety) and put the pieces in a ziploc in my bento box to grab easily (I am not coordinated enough to open a packaged bar mid-ride...seriously).  They are satisfying and sit well on my stomach.  Back them up with a little coconut water and you have a great nutrition option!

Last weekend, I went to grab a bar for a ride and they were all gone.  Now I know what the fuss is about.  They very quickly became my go-to fuel, and I about had a fit when I ran out.  So I ordered 36 this time - 12 each of the Cranberry Raisin, Apple Cinnamon, and my new fave, Pineapple Chia.  Mango coconut will make it back into the rotation next time.  Amrita offers a sample pack as well - so if you are on the fence or don't know what flavor to get, start with the sampler and go from there.

A couple of words on their customer service - freaking amazing.  Orders are processed at lightning speed, and they ship via Priority Mail which means I will get my order in Hawaii in just a few days (THANK YOU FOR THAT AMRITA- shipping to Hawaii is almost always a nightmare or ridiculously expensive - I really appreciate that you use USPS Priority).

Now...cost.  Yes, these are a little bit more expensive than your average endurance bar or fuel, but it is worth every penny.  It's REAL FOOD, folks, and REALLY GOOD.  Since I'm not buying other sports drinks or gels I feel like the cost evens out.  And you want to put quality food in your body - not something you cannot pronounce or makes you feel like crap.

Get some and see for yourself!  AMRITA HEALTH FOODS

Amrita Health Foods did not supply any products or request this review.  I am just a very happy customer and want to help them get the word out.

Cycle to the Sun...

...and other new developments!




So what does any self-respecting triathlete do when she gets shut out of the two 70.3's she wanted to race in 2013?  Signs up for one of the toughest road bike races out there!  I'm so excited!

So excited, in fact, that I even got myself a coach. Although I've had reasonable success coaching myself through three triathlons and countless running races, cycling is still a relatively new sport to me.  And over the last few years it has always been in the back of my mind that I could probably do a LOT better if I had someone who really knew what they were doing taking charge of my training.

For CTS, there was no other option in my mind.  Training for a standard road race or triathlon to finish is fairly straight forward.  If you have some reasonable knowledge of endurance sports, are fairly self-motivated and can follow directions, there are thousands of "canned" plans that will take you through your races.  In triathlon training, I'd pick a plan then basically follow the "hours" recommended for each discipline.  I didn't really do (OK, I did zero) interval training, outside of swim sessions with my masters group.  I just S/B/R'd and hoped for the best.

Where it gets dicey is when you are going to be climbing straight up a mountain for several hours with a 10,000ft+ elevation gain.   And I knew I couldn't do it alone.  So far I think having a coach is AWESOME, and here's why it's working for me:

• It eliminates a lot of trial and error - I have a relatively short training window (the ride is June 29) so I need to maximize my training time and do the sessions that are going to get me up that hill (and I really know very little about the mechanics of a cycling training program).
• It's HUGE to have my workouts planned for me - I don't have to think about it...just do it.
• Although I've used a Garmin for a couple of years now, it was really for amusement purposes only and to get a guideline on time, distance and heart rate.  Now it provides useful information for my coach and guidelines for me to consider during workouts.

The big thing, though, is that it made me realize, almost from the beginning, that I never pushed myself hard enough in workouts before.  She is making me work HARD (and sometimes I swear during interval sessions), but I get off my bike every time with a sense of accomplishment.  I'm feeling stronger and stronger all the time.

I have two goals for this race right now:

• The "A" goal - finish in around 5 hours.
• The "B" goal - not to finish last.

I'll share more of my thoughts on having a coach in future posts, including why I picked mine.  If you want to get to know her, check out Simmons Endurance Coaching.

More soon!

Random Thoughts Right Now

I'll be cycling to the top at the end of June.

•  I have a coach!  Did I already mention that?  Wait, I think I've written several unpublished posts about that, so it's probably news.  I'm working with Michelle Simmons from Simmons Endurance Coaching on Oahu.  Her slogan is "Find A New Gear."  I'll be writing more on this later, but suffice it to say that in these first three weeks I have definitely found gears I didn't know I had!

• Speaking of gears...have you seen those sports drink commercials where they show the athletes completely dripping with sweat?  I mean, they have sweat glistening from every pore and it's running in rivulets down their necks, arms, torso, legs.  I never believed anyone could sweat that much - that it was all for show.  Well, the trainer workouts I've been doing are producing the exact same results.  I never knew I could work so hard.
  
• I'm training for Cycle to the Sun at the end of June.  I got shut out of the two 70.3's I wanted to do this year (I didn't sign up in time, d'oh!).  So I did the next batshitcrazy best thing I could think of: ride to the top of Haleakala Crater on the steepest paved road in the world.  It's only 36 miles.  With...ahem... 10,023ft of climbing. (At least it's on home turf so I can train for it!)
  
• It appears my plantar fasciitis is waning.  FINALLY.  After a gait analysis and a custom orthotic (plus some leg/glute strength training), pain has gone from an 8 to about a 2-3 and continues to get better.  I'm going to add a little bit of running to the mix and see how it goes. 
  
• Nutrition-wise I'm trying a few new things...trying to get back to 100% Paleo after dabbling with a little high fat dairy for awhile.  Dairy just doesn't seem to work for me - it just adds unwanted weight.  I'm sticking with a higher fat, lower carb regimen and trying to become more fat-adapted for endurance events, so we'll see how it goes.  I'm not sure how well that will translate with all the climbing I'm going to be doing - I might need a little more sugar.

Kahekili Hwy - My new favorite training place.

 Those are my thoughts for now.  More soon...

Things I Discovered in 2012

A lot of people are writing about race results, training totals, and "goal completion" for 2012 on their blogs.  While I track these things too, it would take way too long for me to gather up all that info and post it on my blog. And my blogging time is extremely limited these days.

Basically, 2012 went by in a complete and total blur for me.  For someone who prides herself on being organized and together I quite frankly do not know how I got through last year.  But I did discover a few things along the way:

1. PODCASTS.  How come no one ever told me how freakin' awesome these were?!  There is a unbelievable wealth of information out there on virtually every subject you can imagine and most of it is FREE!  I know you (and everyone else) have known this since day one, but I feel like I have struck gold.  I love listening to them on my (albeit short) commute to and from work and when I am working in the studio.  My two favorites are:
   
   The Angriest Trainer

   Vinnie Tortorich with Anna Vocino

   
   

   Fantastic fitness and nutrition info following a #NSNG No Sugar No Grains philosophy with a Hollywood insider twist and liberal pinches of sassy explicitness make for a thought (and giggle) provoking podcast.  If you love a good rant and some spicy language, this podcast is for you.  It appears to be especially popular with the female triathlon community, but the #NSNG philosophy is for EVERYONE.
   
   
   Balanced Bites
   Diane Sanfilippo and Liz Wolfe
   
   
   If you are interested in nutrition or digestive health, this is the podcast for you.  Diane Sanfilippo is now the 9x NYTimes bestselling author of "Practical Paleo," the easy how-to Paleo book and outstanding cookbook I highly recommend to anyone looking to take charge of their diet and health.  Hint: on the podcast skip the first ten to fifteen minutes of banter and get straight to the question/answer section.
   
   
    Honorable Mentions go to Ben Greenfield Fitness, Garden Variety Triathlon and Rich Roll (who, along with Vinnie Tortorich, I now dub "The Great Men of Podcasting").
   
   
2. CARBON FIBER. Oh, how I love my new bike.  I started out in triathlon on a Trek mountain bike not knowing how much I was going to enjoy road riding (and hate mountain biking!).  In year two I moved up to a friends loaner Trek 2000.  It was a big difference and it gave me a chance to think about the road bike I wanted to buy.  It only took me a year and a half!
   
   
   Behold... the Mighty Pegasus (aka Trek Madone 4.7):
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   May he steadfastly lead me to victory in 2013!
3. TWITTER.  I resisted for a long time.  "Who needs it," I said.  "I have much more to say that 140 characters," I said.  Just as with the podcasts, Twitter provides a wealth of information (and a heap of crap, too, if you're not careful who you follow).  I'm sticking with my new #NSNG #fatadapting new triathlon friends for the most part.
   
   There were undoubtedly more that three, but I can't remember them now.  However, be certain I am going to be talking more about these three AND how I am becoming a fat adapted triathlete in future posts.  I hope you'll stay tuned!
   

VIRR Turkey Trot Race Report - 16 miler

Sometimes it's best if you don't know the race course in advance...

For most races, I haunt the website, review the race course and decide on a plan of action well before race day.  I like to run portions (if not all) of the course prior to race day so that I have a strategy and can be mentally prepared for the tough spots.  I like to look at the previous year's race results, check times for my AG, and think about where I might end up in the standings.  I'm sure a lot of athletes do this.  At least the Type-A athletes do, even if they know they aren't going to place in the top (that would be me, chaser of the FOPs (Front-of-Pack'rs).

This race was going to be a little different.  It was my first time entering.  It was a fun run.  It was FREE.  It fit fabulously into my training schedule and took the place of my long run for the week.  IT WAS FREE!

The course map was not posted until a couple of days before the race.  I've run races with VIRR from Rice Park (the start), so I assumed it would probably be an out-and-back to Grandma's, with two loops to get to the 16 miles (they also had an 8.4 and a 2.6 mile run that day).  When I finally glanced at the posted course map, I did not zoom in, and I assumed it would be down Kula Highway, then back up Lower Kula Road.  OK...different, but extremely do-able.  Then I got the surprise.

A group of us were standing around at check-in and I overheard someone say, "It's the same course as last year."  So I told him this was my first time and asked "what, really, is the course?"  Turns out the "down Kula Highway" part was right, but then we turned right at the high school and ran UP AND AROUND Kekaulike Hwy.  Oh, s%@t!  This is an approximate 2,000 ft elevation gain.  It is an uphill run from about Mile 7 to about Mile 13.  (FYI - I chickened out and didn't sign up for a 10K in May of this year because it was primarily THIS section of the course - billed as a "one hill" race.  Ha Ha!  The entire race is that one hill.)

But the race was FREE.  And my training was going well.  And I completely rescheduled my training plan for the long run on Thanksgiving.  And I was there.  What the hell?  It would be fun, right?

Pre-Race
Standard pre-race smoothie at 4:30 a.m.  Race started at 7:00. FYI - I've pretty much decided that the 2-hour window is too short.  It leaves me feeling a bit sloshy.  Next time I will get up earlier and drink the smoothie prepared the night before, then go back to bed for a little more snooze.  It works!


Warm Up/Race Prep
Ha ha!  It was 53 freaking degrees at the race start!  That is downright COLD for us Maui folks.  I kept my sweatshirt on, did a little light jogging to stay warm.

After hearing about the real race course, I added 10 minutes to my "guessed" time.  Those who come closest to their guess can win a prize (no watches, garmins allowed).  I originally planned to go for 3:00, but added 10 minutes for the serious climbing.  (I was going to wear my Garmin as this was supposed to be a training run for me and I wanted to watch pace, heart rate, etc., but one of the long-time runners cajoled me into leaving it in the truck.)

We also found out at check-in that there were no "official" aid stations on the course, but that someone was going to leave water at about Mile 6 and Mile 12.  Although I had my Nathan carrier with my bottle of Heed and two Hammer gels, I decided to grab an extra water bottle from my truck just in case there was no water.

Off came the sweatshirt, but I wore my new YMX Yellowman long-sleeve dragon shirt underneath (more about that in a later post).


Race
There were 24 of us in the 16-mile group.  The ultra-runners (one only clad in black running shorts and shoes) took off and never looked back.  I ended up with a group of about 4-5 runners at the tail end of the pack, but I was OK with that.  This was supposed to be a long training run, not a race, and I was perfectly content to let everyone else take off.  I figured this would be a good way to practice pacing and see if the rumors were true: that I would eventually pass some of the runners who took off too fast and paid for it at the end.

The first 6 miles were mostly on a gradual downgrade, a pleasant way to warm up.  Several of us chatted as we ran along.  I felt good and even though I felt I could pick up the pace, I tried to stay slow.  This is where I sort of missed my Garmin, but I realized it was probably very good for me to run by feel for a change.  Mentally I felt good because I wasn't DFL in the pack, which is a driver for me, for better or for worse.

We made the turn at the high school and started the climb.  There was no water at the first "drop" but I was OK - I popped my first gel as planned and finished the bottle I was carrying.  We began the ascent, and this is where some runners started dropping off in pace.  I was still feeling good and elated that I felt so strong...in the tougher sections I reminded myself that it was OK to walk portions.  My pace slowed and I walked what I thought was quite a bit, but I still felt good and strong and ran as often as I could.  I enjoyed the beauty of the day, the fact that I was out running sixteen miles (which still amazes me - it was the longest distance I have ever run in my life!), and kept a positive mindset.  I even stopped to take a couple of pics:

A friend of mine says I look like I was hitchhiking in this photo!

I thought I knew the stretch of highway fairly well as I've driven it many times, and I got excited when I saw the houses just before Kula Lodge because I thought I was near the top.  I wasn't and it was still quite a ways to the Haleakala Crater turn-off where the second water drop was.  When I got there I was glad so see there were still plenty of bottles because I'd burned up my HEED on the climb.  I took a quick break, took my second gel and topped off my water bottle so I wouldn't have to carry another, and took off.

After this stop my legs protested a bit.  There was still a bit of climbing left to do and I got back to it.  This is when I noticed that I was getting a blister under the base of my big toe (at the top of the ball of my foot).  I stopped to adjust my sock, which was bunching a little in that area, and took off.  Side Note:  I noticed that I am getting more blisters as my runs get longer. I thought my feet would toughen and callus up, but they aren't.  For this race I wrapped my 4th toes with bandaids to avoid the nasty blisters I got in the Harbor-to-Harbor, and really rubbed my feet up with Body Glide.  I wore socks with my Mizunos.  Mostly a winning combination.  I still have several long runs to test shoe/sock/no-sock combinations before race day.

I caught a few more runners in this last climbing section, then the glorious downhill began!!

About Mile 12-13 my quads started getting cranky with me, but I told myself the same thing I told myself at Mile 10 in the 1/2 marathon: as long as the pain doesn't get any worse, I am fine.  I can run with this.  I can deal with this.  I still felt strong, and if I hadn't had the blister really yelling at me at this point, I could have even picked up the pace a little bit.

Soon I saw the intersection at the highway and made my turn for the home stretch.  As I came up the last little hill before the finish, I saw my family on the sidelines cheering me on.  It was awesome!  I left them all, still sleeping, that morning (I had told them the night before that I would finish at around 10:00 IF they wanted to meet me at the finish line).  It was great!

I finished in 2:59:58!  If I wouldn't have added that last 10 minutes, I would have only been 2 seconds off my time and would have probably won a prize.  I can't believe how consistent my pace is, even without the Garmin to check.  And that was despite that crazy incline!

My uncle said he couldn't believe I wasn't even breathing hard at the end and I looked as if I barely broke a sweat. 

I am very pleased with this race and the results. It did wonders for my self confidence - I know I can tackle just about anything with good, consistent training.

Can't wait to see what happens next year!

Marathon Monday - Week 9 of 18

"I'm at the half-way mark!" I realized, as I typed the title for today's post.  So far, so good.

I missed posting last Monday because I was on vacation, here, at home.  My mom came to visit from California and we had a great time together.  I stuck with my run training (minus one 3-miler), but swimming, biking and blogging all kind of fell by the wayside.  It was a good mental break for me. Today, though, it's back to our regularly scheduled programming.

I ran a fun race on Saturday - the 20th anniversary of the Maui Harbor-to-Harbor race.  It clocked in at a little over 10 miles (10.55 according to my Garmin) and I was thrilled with my average pace of 9:28!  Running more is paying off!  I felt good the entire race and incorporated some new mental tricks to keep me going in the later miles: keeping focused, staying positive and checking in on my body and how it was performing.  Run tall.  Hold your core. Smile. There was no swearing involved, unlike Xterra.

With a little more than a mile to go, a younger woman passed me.  Usually this is not a big deal, because people pass me a lot, but for some reason I could not let this one go.   I remembered something I read recently, that if someone passes you near the end of the race, do not let them get too far ahead.  Her pace wasn't much faster than mine at the time, so I hung on around 25 yards back.  We got inside that last mile and I knew if I didn't pick up the pace she would think she had it in the bag.  I remembered how Mirinda Carfrae tried to chase down Chrissie Wellington in Kona.  We hit a slight downhill and I lengthened my stride a bit, gradually catching up, then I dug down deep and pushed enough to get past her.  I figured she would push it and pass me again, but I stayed strong and finished just ahead of her.  She came up to me at the water station after the race and congratulated me on the finish, which was really nice of her to do.  I thanked her and told her I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to catch her and told her she set a good pace.

I went into the race with the intention of racing strong and trying to sustain a 9:30 pace.  It was a hard effort, but it also reassured me that I can run faster than I think!

The race was an exchange for my long run for that weekend, scheduled for 10 miles.  I know I'm supposed to get my long runs in slower, and I won't be doing any more "racing" throughout my marathon training, but this was a really good check-in for me and a great confidence booster.

I promise to take it slow at the Turkey Trot next week!

Marathon Monday - Week 7 of 18

With some creative scheduling, I eked out my mileage for last week by the seat of my pants.

I ran the Xterra 10K last weekend (race report coming!) and, without doing any specific hill training or trail running in the weeks prior, my legs paid for it last week.  Sunday they weren't too bad, but DOMS always hits me worse on Day 2 post-race, so Monday I was in some serious hurt.  I was supposed to get 10 miles that weekend for my long run but I figured the exertion required of the off-road race would equal a 10-mile LSD, so I called it even.  And post-race I felt that it took WAY more out of me than the 1/2 marathon a month earlier (my race pics show it, too, but that's another story).

Last weeks mileage:

• Monday - Swam 1500yds - thought it would help.  It did, sorta.
• Tuesday  30 minutes easy spin on trainer
• Wednesday - Rest
• Thursday - Rest
• Friday - 3 miles
• Saturday - 5 miles
• Sunday - 3 miles
• Monday - 7 miles

Running just wasn't quite happening on Wednesday.  As scheduled I should run Wed., Thur., Fri., rest on Sat., then long run on Sunday.  I'm OK with moving stuff around, A LITTLE BIT.  I figure Hal Higdon is the expert and I should try to stick with the basic plan as much as possible.  But life does require a little more flexibility sometimes.

I've bumped my morning alarm from 4:45 to 4:30 to try and get on a little earlier schedule so I can fit in the longer runs on Thursdays.  So far, so good.

I have a 12-mile run this Sunday ON THE ROAD for once, and with a new running partner.  I'm a little anxious about it, but looking forward to spending time outside and with someone to chat with on these long days.  We are both training for the same marathon, so our training schedules and mileage are pretty close.  She's a faster runner than me, but her long runs are at 10mm so I can hang with that.

Marathon Monday - Week 6 of 18

I had this crazy idea that I would post every day in the month of October.  For the first part of the month, I didn't feel like I had that much to say.  Now all the post ideas are piling up and I think this will be a banner posting week!

I've decided to dedicate Monday to marathon training updates.  I'm in week 6 (of 18) of Hal Higdon's novice training plan and so far, so good. 

I was supposed to have a 10-mile long run yesterday, but I raced in the Xterra Kapalua 10K trail run on Saturday.  Suffice it to say that I believe it was equal to the effort required of a 10-mile run, and then some!  (I have a full race report to post later this week.)  It actually felt harder than the 1/2 marathon I ran last month.

Sore quads today, which was helped by a little dip in the pool this morning...only 1500yds.  Today is a cross training day, so it was good timing.

Tuesday's are usually rest days for me, but I've unearthed the trainer in the garage so I can get back on the bike.  I think I'll go for an easy spin tomorrow morning to warm things back up.  There is a century ride mid-November (with a 25-mile option - perfect!), and a 36-miler in December.  I think a little time on the bike will be good, as long as it doesn't interfere too much with the longer mileage I'll be hitting those months.  

We'll see how it goes!

Triathlon on a "Shoestring"

Triathlon is an expensive sport..and I love a good bargain!

I was excited to see these Zoot Advantage 3.0 go on sale on the Zoot website.  I needed a new pair of trainers and I LOVE my Ultra TT's, so decided to try their stability shoe since I'm putting in a lot of miles training for the Maui Oceanfront Marathon.

When Bruce asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I said, "Well, there's these shoes..."  He said to go ahead and order them.  So I was bummed when the Zoot site was out of my size (I know my foot looks svelte in this photo, but I wear a hard-to-find size 11).

Google to the rescue!  I found another site - Discount Tri Supply.  I was a little apprehensive about choosing a random retailer from Google, and I'd never heard about them before, but they did a great job!  They processed my order quickly, and shipped to me, in Hawaii, for FREE!  Plus, if it's your first order from them, find the link on the home page for a special "first time customer" code for 20% off!  I WILL order from them again.

Bargain aside, they feel wonderful.  Tomorrow is a rest day, so I won't have a chance to try them out until Wednesday, but I'm looking forward to running in these.

And you know the story...new shoes make you run faster!

Training, Sugarcane 10K, Etc.

The Maui 1/2 Marathon is in two weeks.  My longest long run to date is 10 miles.  I know I can do the distance and I'm not worried, but I'm not as happy with my progress as I thought I would be at this point.

This year marks the 10 anniversary of the last 1/2 marathon I did.  I have not run more than a 10K since then (and there were many years in between of NO exercise at all).  Since I plan to enter the Honu 1/2 Ironman next June, I thought it would be a good time to concentrate on running.

I was a runner before I was a triathlete.  While training for triathlons the last two years, I focused more on cycling and swimming, especially swimming, and really took running for granted.  If I was going to miss a training session, running would be the first to go.   I knew running would always be there, patiently waiting in the background like an understudy waits in the wings.  

Now that I've been focused more on running, I realize what a mistake that was and plan to keep an eye on my run training through the fall and definitely when I start to train for Honu.  I need to run a LOT MORE and want to really be comfortable running 15-20 mile distances.  Perhaps even a January marathon.  We'll see.

I ran the inaugural Sugarcane 10K yesterday.  Early start (7:00 a.m.), along the Mokulele bike path, a slight uphill at the start, then a gradual downhill most of the way to the finish.  There were about 50 runners and, surprisingly, no one under the age of 20!  I hoped to run sub-10-minute miles, and the Garmin reported an average pace of about 9:30, so I was pleased.  

From about mile 2-4, another woman was running at my right shoulder and just behind me, pacing me.  It was good in some ways...I pushed closer to nine minute miles during that time because the competitor in me did not want her to pass (and by her labored breath I could tell she was working hard), but I slowed down after a bit because I realized I was not running my own race, and I really needed to stick closer to 9:45-10:00 in accordance with my training schedule.  It made me realize that a sub-9-minute pace is possible for me, but at some point in the future.  I just can't sustain that over longer distances right now, but I have hope!

I also realized that, despite the push, I do not like people pacing or drafting me in a race.  It's distracting and takes my concentration away from MY race.  My husband says it's because I have personal space issues, which is true.  If you stay 6+ feet away from me, I'm fine, but get inside that 3' bubble and it makes me nuts (but that's a whole other story).

The feet are cooperating and I feel good.  Still have a little twinge in my right hip, but yoga is helping, and I plan to go to the chiropractor on Wednesday to see if that will help a little bit more.

Hope you had a race or fun event this Labor Day weekend!