Big 50



 Noooo not me..silly, my loving hubby turned the Big 50!

I know....be does not look it or act it- thank goodness!!!

The girls on the ride

We had a big day of fun...87 miles, nearly 9000 feet of elevation- we rode Palomar from our front door.   6 1/2 hours of fun in the sun. It was a long and brutal ride but we had the fortune of having Amy, Liz and Kevin come along for the fun,   I have ridden Palomar a few times but never from hone- we usually drive someplace and park and then go for it.  It was hard, we were grumpy, I even drank a coke, was an epic ride and I cannot wait to do it In a really long time again soon!

Kevin looking really happy to be
at the top

Here we are at the top!! Yeah...we made it - most of the climbing is done but we still had a long ride home.

 

 

 

 

Day OFF x 2

I and all other obsessive, competitive triathletes  like to post about our amazing swim, bike, run workouts..how we are killing it, crushing it and making it happen, 

But sometimes the harder thing to do is to take pause and rest....I am coming off a big week and yesterday was a day off - full day off, which does not happen very often because I hate days off.  But coach had a day off and it was a big family day so I listened and took the day off and was in bed last night by 8:45.

Today was a recovery day, a solid swim.  I was in the parking lot mustering the energy to swim and I got an email from Coach saying "if you are as tired as I suspect, consider trimming this week."  AHA!  I am tired, I am lacking motivation ( # 1 sign to me that I am tired) ... but still I thought maybe a short swim, maybe a little workout.  But I decided to listen to that little voice and let it go.

I had big run Thursday- short but all out, Friday big swim (ok not a big deal) but Saturday longest ride since last simmer..Palomar baby from our front door- more on that later, but a huge effort. So choice #1 push the effort today and risk fatigue later this week or choice # recover and let my body absorb the hard work and get stronger later in the week. It I was 30 - suck it up and train, but at 46 recovery is AS important than the next smash fest workout.

Day 2 off!!! The rest of the week of training ramps up toward a big weekend..... riding to Borrego Springs and camping out and then riding home the next day.   Gunnar  will be chief Sherpa and bring all out gear so John, Liz and I can ride the 90 miles out there.  Riley, her friend, Zen and Mako will come out late Saturday to join the fun.  Big ride home....makes for a cycling weekend and a get-a-way all in one.  

Thansgiving....

So much to be thankful for...my parents are both alive and well, my kids are healthy and safe at least I think so, John and me are both employed and we are surrounded by so many wonderful friends.  We lead a blessed life!!! 

This Thanksgiving was extra special as JD came home from his 1st year away to college....we were all so eager to have the house full again and he did not disappoint.

We had 3+ days of laughing, hanging out and great nights. 

After the 10K AM run the kids went to see their Dad's family for an early Thanksgiving and were home by 4 and Mom and Billy came over.....for a really overcooked Turkey (was done 90 minutes early and 15 degrees over done), really mushy gluten free stuffing...but we had great company and a nice dinner! this year was about family and NOT the food :)  

Relaxing and fun..laughing and insightful talks wth JD- it is so great to hear his opinions on so much. He has really grown up a lot in the few short months away..

We sadly said good bye but he will be home in 3 weeks for Christmas!    

Running

I hate when I get behind blogging....so much to tell and it just gets left out. So we will go for the highlights..



So much fun racing with friends!!!

Somehow we pulled of 2nd place in our respective age groups.
Mako was happy too!

Silver Strand 1/2 M- goal was a PR- and I did by 11 seconds (ugh) was hoping for 2 minutes but did not happen...the good was that at mile 6 when I wanted to puke and give up and I did for .5 mile I sucked it up and instead of slowing down 30 seconds per mile, I slowed 10 seconds and just held on.  It was good fun!!!

The day was amazing, the company great and John and Mako perfect Sherpa's.  I so appreciate the great friends I  have made in this sport.

I did a lot of run training and the results were sub par for the work put in....but onto Ironman training so time to slow it down.

But it was great to break up the training- doing the same swim,bike,run gets really boring so a run focus was good AND I was  not injured which is good.  

It is kind of funny the pay off for the run focused came a few weeks later on Thanksgiving.    We signed for the ThankYou Run as a fun, family 10k on Thanksgiving AM.

JD was home (yeah)  and we wanted a fun family way to start the day,  Thao even joined us,

Riley wanted to "dress up" hence the Tu Tu for the girls.


So we were decked out.  The kids were doing their own race/run walk and I was going to have fun. But we started running pretty hard and I felt okay,  John decided to go for it and at mile 2 I let him go....but kept running hard.  I was running 7:00 or just under and it was on a trail, At 3.5 I saw a girl in front of me and decided to push it to pass her... took me a mile and I was working hard and blew past, holding my breath as if I was not working hard.  My HR was 185...and I kept running and around the next bend was a 500ft climb.  Oh crap...really hoping she cannot run hills. I put my head down and ran hard... held her off and finished strong.  Not a PR but dang close, on a hilly course and the day after a 4 hour hard ride to Dudley's. where KP almost killed me   I was really excited....and quite shocked to win my AG 40-49 and was 2nd overall.  Note- this was NOT a huge race, 250 runners, but placing in running is BIG for me :) 

The lesson here for me...
1- the RUNNING block DID pay off..just not when and where I hoped.. 
2- show up to a race tired and just go with it - you just may surprise yourself.  
3- Be happy with a win, regardless how small the event

So much fun with the family and friends...nice way to start the holiday!


 

100 x 100's

Did the entire set....Pretty sure the last time I did that was 25 years ago in college. We will not discuss the variance in interval but just know that I was much slower now.  And the interval chosen is fast for me to begin with!

So I was the oldest and slowest of the group BUT I did it.  Here we are - the 9 of us. Why? Tim Hinds and Christine Gould do this on their respective birthdays- yesterday was Tom's.

We met at 5 and I was happy to learn I was not the only nervous one :)  I woke up every few hours worried about oversleeping and worried about...well swimming 10,000 yards.

5:15 and we started with 10 @ 1:30- no worries, I was going last and drafting as much as possible.  Then the fun started 4 sets of 20 @ 1:20-  1:20 is my base and I can barely make that. These peeps all swim on a 1:15 (or faster I suspect) so I had my work cut out for me.

1st 10 were cruisy. 1st set of 20 doable.  2nd set of 20 turned into a continuous swim for me.  Paddles on and the next 2 sets of 20 were fine.  By around 85 my arms were very heavy....last 10 @ 1:30 and the last one was "legit fly"  I went for the distance per stroke method and survived! 

It was fun, rewarding and I would do it again :) Maybe in December..... we will see

swim, swim, swim.....

3 weeks ago I tackled a swim challenge (of my own) that has been rolling around in head for years... 25,000 yards in 7 days.  In college we did 10-15,000 yards per DAY but I digress.   25 years later 25k seems like a lot.  

I did it Mon: 5k by myself, Tue: 5k solo, Thur: 5500k Encinitas Masters, Fri: 3k solo, Sat: 2500k, Sun: 4k - DONE. 

My plan was back to normal and the next week I was at 10K with 2 workouts and decided to make it a clean 15k, which ended up being a 5600 workout and we have 15k. So then I think okay 40k in 2 weeks- not bad.

I was last off the blocks in most cases.... can you say
slow twitch?

This week...Monday- my arms are sore but knocked out 4200. Tuesday was the 1st (not sure if annual) SD Tri Club Swim Meet.  7:30-9:30- okay first off I like to go to bed at 8:30 and it was cold out.  But I forced encouraged a few of my athletes to participate so I was committed.  Like a lot of things once you get there you have fun!   I signed up for relays, 50,100,200,500 free and 50 fly.  There were 1-3 heats of each event and it was really, really cold!   Relays were mixed ability and totally fun,  50 free all out- I was excited for the swim meet.  Next event 200 free and I in the last heat and within a 50 am in dead last.  Nice....I went too hard on the 3rd and died and sort of just cruised in.   1st place went 1:57.  Really?  Just out of college and competed in 08 Olympic Trials.  I am convinced I could have been all of heat 3's Mom..just sayin or making excuses and blaming my age.    

this was NOT us  you get the idea

Thankfully there was a hot tub and we chilled in there and laughed and began questioning why we signed up for the 500 free.  Then we planted the seed that since they were running behind maybe they should cancel it.  Please, please cancel the 500.   When then took a survey it was mixed and they decided to go ahead.  Ok I'm in but I am swimming heat 1 - not with the wicked fast dude who would surely lap me a few times.   I have to say my time was not any faster than in practice but it was fun.  Wait I did the 50 free, dove in goggles ripped off and I swam with my eyes closes but did not lose my contacts.   And did I mention I was in last place?   But here I am telling my athletes not to worry about where they place, but proud for coming out and trying.  so easy to be a total hypocrite and get all pissy when it is me,  But I embraced my own advice.  We laughed a lot and it was truly a great night.

My dedicated husband, after knocking off a PR 5 mile run in the AM, working all day and commuting by bike came along and was a timer for the entire meet.

And now.....Friday I am tackling another goal of sorts or complete insanity  100x100's...gasp.  At one point in my life I did this once a month..but now - I just hope I can survive.

Last week of October is BAD for me....

3 years running....the last week in October has brought problem to me. 2009 Oct 26 wrestling with Zen I fractured my pink in 2 places.  2010 I dropped a plate and sliced open my ankle - read here for the gory details  - geyser of blood and cut down to the fascia.  8 stitches and I would down for a while. 2011 post Kona I am committed to getting strong so I am hitting the gym and whamo dropped the weight on my foot- gory details- broken toes and I am down for a while.  So....end of October I need to be bubble wrapped.... what happened in 2012 - yes that is 1/2 of a bike sort of....

NO I was not riding it!  I was having a really bad day.... already drove to Nytro to have them fix some ting and was nearly home with Quarq finally got back to me and said just send in the power meter for us to fix, So I went back to Nytro had them take it off (thank you !! ) and as I was strapping my bike on the car I was on a really frustrating phone call.... major sh*t storm at work and this was going on all day...so I was distracted and emotional- bad combo.  The bike went on the car the opposite way I usually put it on which meant one less strap... not a big deal- as I am biting my gums to keep my cool on my phone call.  And off I go ....somewhere on the 56 I glance in the mirror to see the bike flying backward and I nearly scream.  I promptly end the call which I should have ended 10 minutes ago and tried to decide what to do...slamming on my breaks was not an option so I am slowing down and then I see front of the bike slide off the rack- 1 small strap is holding my bike on the car and then like plastic bag flying out the window it is gone....slides on the freeway.  I pull over and start to panic.... 5 or 6 cars go around it and then the truck tags it and now my front wheel and cranks are gone.... then a lady runs over the front end and wow....carbon is not all that strong.

Blah........ so- no one was hurt! GOOD  Homeowners insurance should cover it.... claim filed and am now waiting.  ARGH!

Good thing I am doing a run/swim block-  and look what happened today and it is not even October...

There is a good reason I was a swimmer....I am a total clutz... I slid on the gravel at the top of a hill running with John and Mako. NO the dog did not trip me- I did this all on my own