Swim.Bike.Run Repeat...welcome to camp!

Welcome dinner tonight!  22 campers and 7 coaches met at Gordo's house for a Whole Foods dinner! Fuel for champions....Quinoa, grilled chicken, grilled veggies, salad, guac and chips and lots of water.   Mechanic on hand for a once over on the bikes.... good idea!  Relaxed dinner on the deck on a hot night- high of 95 today. 

Some legends among us....Gordo, Chuckie V, Justin Daerr, Marilyn McDonald...and the list goes on. And some serious campers in their real life ....3 medical Dr's, 1 surgeon, PT, 3 big time dudes from Hollywood, TV producers and the likes, few CFO's.... and some peeps that look ripped, fit and fast.   Deep breath.... Common denominator- we all swim.bike.run and everyone was really nice. I am not intimidated    We are all here to work hard, get faster, make new friends and well get faster.

We roll tomorrow at 7:15 (B group) and 7:45 (A group).... and we climb for 20+ miles to 10,000 ft and turn around and come back...gulp!   Having no idea which group is right- I am opting for the B group-  don't want to be hanging on for dear life on day 1 of camp.  

I am not at all  sort of acclimated to the altitude after a killer swim workout with Julia in Denver yesterday  followed by a 90 minute run with an av HR of 159 and a pace that was painfully slow altitude affected.  KP said don't look at the pace, so I did not.  And today was about chillin in Boulder....(we must move here one day) with my sis and family, a trip to the pool for some fun with the nieces and trying to relax.  Went for a 90 min ride and was just dying to keep going,....but think camp will kick my ass camp will be a challenge as is.

Camp Coaches advice:
1- this is YOUR camp go at your own pace
2- don't try and lose weight- eat to train and train well-
3- water, water, water... and sunscreen
4- when you ride your bike make decisions as if you were in a car- ie: stop signs, lights etc
5- be safe- ride single file and NO ipods holy crap what I do... who rides with an iPod?
6- major descending tomorrow - tips from Marilyn McDonald (ex pro cyclist and current pro- Triathlete)
   - pressure on the outside pedal and inside bar
   - determine your speed BEFORE the turn- feather the front brake and use the back and the ride the turn
   - look where you want to go NOT where you are going
   - relax
   - descending is a SKILL that CAN be learned by all

1 day a time, pace myself and HAVE FUN!  Off to bed..rolling at 6:45 to get to the meeting spot at 7:15. 

Just finished making sure my athletes are set for the week!  Training plans done- weeks reviewed and off toe bed!

Different kind of training

This my friends is Fiesta Island....4mile loop in Mission Bay that is pancake flat-  San Diego is NOT flat...as my friend from Denver said- there is more flat in Denver than San Diego.  But that is okay by me as I don't like flat (when it comes to riding) I seek out hills, climbs and the more the better.  I like hilly races....IM St George, IM CdA and upcoming IM Lake Placid- FL or AZ,  not my choice.   Racing hilly means I get to train hilly!
But....even on a hilly course it is 5+ hours of mostly aero riding and that takes a toll on the body !  So...this weekend I was told to ride aero.... we rolled out and rode 90 minutes of up and down roads keeping aero as much as possible and arrived at Fiesta Island for some real fun!  5x15 minutes....12 min IM Watts- 3 min 70.3 Watts- get aero, stay aero, be consistent and have fun!  I even rode in my tri-shorts for the full IM "ouch" effect.
Iggy met us on Fiesta with water- seriously he is the sherpa extraordinaire!  Off we went....back side was windy as usual but it was great.  It was sick kind of a workout  on really tired legs, but Maureen kept me company and we hammered them out-  nailed each one spot on and gave a bonus at the end... the ride home I was expecting to feel smashed but I still had some spring in my legs and was feeling optimistic about Sunday!

Sunday was my longest run to date...since Kona and since the broken leg.  Coach said flat run and well I don't live near flat and I just did not want to drive to run and I wanted run with Mako.  And flat means pavement and that is a lot on his littel feet- so we hit the trails and clicked off the miles-  I was quite surprised how good my legs felt, my  HR was high, but the run was great.... I had a few intervals to do and we found flat for those - but I bailed after the first one as I could not hit the designated pace.  Come to find out that I was looking average pace on my Garmin vs actual pace-  oh well.....we retreated back to the trails and enjoyed chasing rabbits and the sceneary and the hills.   I was fighting a mental battle - worried I could not hit the pace I needed to - but tried to focus on the fact this was my biggest running volume week in???? possibly ever....that with a solid long ride and a good mid week Great Western Loop it is all good!   When I downloaded the run - I realized the pace was not as bad as I feared....its all good!

So I am feeling good....I think it is all coming together!!!!   A bit of recovery and then off to Boulder....

Iromnan train rolling....

Last week was a much needed recovery week...until Sunday and that began an 8 day block of running, running, biking. running and swimming.  Run focus.... Nailed a 2 hour trail run with Mako on Sunday and started the week off well.  Rolled into a long swim Monday.  Ran 5 miles early Tuesday and then knocked out a tough 3:30 East County ride on 5500ft of climbing all before 11am- Riding with Noko and Rachel (who has a wicked light road bike- I was so jealous)...we rolled into the parking lot at 10:50- I showered (sort of) in the Starbucks bathroom and put on a dress, combed my hair, grabbed a coffee and was at a meeting my 11:30 and a lunch apppointment by 12:30 (absolutely famished I must add) Now that is a solid day!!! 

Wednesday I taught 2 lessons at Ventura Cove at 6:30 and 7:00 and it was beautiful...glassy water and great fun!  And I had already done my run at 5am with Mako.  I woke up today at 3- totally awake and could not go back to sleep.  Up and 4am and hammered out an hour of work, run with Mako and at Ventura Cove by 6:30,

2 awesome lessons....both of these guys have made HUGE improvements - how? they practice 3-4 times a week and do the drills and dont focus on the "right" masters lane- they are committed to change and not watching the clock. But the cool thing is when he did watch the clock he was 10-15 seconds faster per 100.  Why.....he allowed his fitness to drop a bit, focused on drills, technique and it putting it all together.  I was elated...seeing the improvement in these guys.  And watching them swim in the OW is outstanding....we are adding sighting to the lesson- saving time already,

After the lesson met Rachel at the Cove and it looked a bit wavy....holy cow about 1/4 mile out we looked and saw swells....big swells that appeared to be breaking in the middle of the cove- and right on they did.  We had to dive under the swell in 20+ ft of water and let them go over us.  They rolled across and into the rocks...it was wild. The rest of the swim was choppy, wavy, kelpy, grassy and well just not that fun.....but got it done!!!

4 days down and 4 to go.....:) more freshening and then off to Boulder Camp!!!

Ironman Lake Placid

Okay so I committed to this race last July.....but with a broken fibula in February  and 12 week sabbatical from running I began to question my ability to race July 23.   I figured 6-8 weeks of no running and I would be back mid April no problem....not so much.  Seems the broken fibula was not so much the issue but the torn cartilage in the ankle that was preventing me from ruining.  I was riding and swimming pain free within a month of the injury.  I added the Elliptical at 6 weeks and was feeling good...but the more I saw Elliptical on training peaks is the more depressed I became...but I believe the monontony of the Elliptical eventually allowed my to increase my run volume faster, once my ankle was ready.

I did  a lot of testing of the ankle/fibula.  Run 10 minutes every other day and if that was doable I would then run 20 and it would swell and the bone would ache- back to the elliptical. Finally I was doing 20 min treadmill run +40 minute Elliptical to make a 1 hour run (sort of ) Did a lot of that and when the ankle/fibula was sore did more Elliptical and less running.  Personally I despise the treadmill but it was key in rehab as I was able to step off when the pain started but still continue my workout.  It is hard to quit ruining, walk home and drive to the gym - and you don't really get the 1 hour cardio.  So I was a gym rat for a good 6 weeks....Once I was at 30 minutes running regularly I remained outside as I have 10 month old Vizsla who is a runner by nature and needs to run....and well the dog and Elliptical don't really work.  4 legs, 2 pedals...just cannot see it.  Pretty soon I was pushing the runs to 45 min and one day I was elated....yeah 5+ miles and then was deflated thinking another 21 miles is a long ways off.

But I increased slowly 10-15% per week and now I am to 1:45 run.... I never run over 2:15 for an Ironman so I am within range....So I have re-committed.  IMLP is ON!!!   I still have 7 weeks and surely will get there..... it will not be ideal as far as run fitness but I think it will be pretty darn close, close enough that I am willing to toe the line and go for it!

But before Placid I get to go away to camp.....Been 30 years since I went to camp but I am headed to Boulder for an Endurance Corner 6 day camp! Epic riding, swimming and running- and the final day, an Olympic Distance Triathlon (how that will happen- not sure, but oh well- at least the other campers will be as tired as I) ....More on the camp later....I committed to the camp when I had to pull out of Oceanside and Wildflower due to my injury- I needed something to work for...not knowing if IMLP would be possible due to my ankle-  I knew I could do camp, at least the swim and bike and some of the run.    And now I see camp as the final top off to Ironman training,

So it as been Ironman training....6 hour rides, long runs, 4000 meter swims....and I LOVE it all. I am particularly pleased to have such a dedicated and flexible running partner. He is game for 5 miles or 12, prefers the trails but is happy to chug along on the street as well.   He sometimes pushes the pace but understands that 2 legs is harder than 4. 

Speaking of Lake Placid....we have room in our house.  With the kids going to China....we have 3 extra rooms in an awesome house! Walking distance to the start and finish and a really nice place.

Dates are July 19-29....$1000 per room for the week-  even if you don't stay all week  - it is a great deal!   Hotels are starting at $250/night and then you have to eat all your meals out.  Please have anyone interested contact me.....but NOTE,  athletes only or people willing to be in bed by 8 and up early Thursday - Sunday....after Ironman anything goes!!!

The Traveling Tire

John (my husband) rides a nice carbon Giant Bike that is has a tool bag the size of a small suitcase and is filled with tubes, patches, tools, cables ..almost everything you need for on the road bike maintenance.  And it has come in handy...during the Death Ride my front cable snapped, JB fixed it and off we went...no need for SAG. He also carries a spare tire, not because he rides tubulars and needs an extra tire, but because he is prepared.

Thank God he does,..this tire has saved Cameron on the GWL after 4+ flats and a blown sidewall, Polly during Grand Fondo tear in the tire and 3+ flats, Liz riding up 78 and we had used a shim to deal with a tear early in the ride but it finally gave out and yesterday Amy after 3 flats and visible hole in the tire.  Yesterday could not have been more perfect...after Masters Swim we headed out on a recovery ride and soon had problems.  But we were about a mile from my house and John was within .5 miles of us on his bike, heading in our direction with the tire. I pedaled up to meet him, grabbed the tired, we fixed Amy's bike and finished our ride,

I like that each time the tire comes back....sort of like the Traveling Pants...  Anyway this tire has saved a lot of rides

It's Coming....

Growing up......

Its funny when your kids are little people ALWAYS say and I was always annoyed just wait and in the blink of any eye  he/she will be off to college. They would say this when JD was throwing a tantrum in the grocery store or Riley was wandering off and I was the totally frazzled Mom just trying to keep it together.  At the time, I would look at them and say promise, do you really promise oh I know I am enjoying them while I can.   You know what.......I hate to say it but they are right. 

I swear we went from total madness to Prom.... We went from not sleeping through the night to waiting up until 2am for him to come home.  How did this happen....wait I want to go back and snuggle more, read more stories in bed..... ok not really but I just wish I could have cherished that time more....but it is hard because you are going 100 miles an hour-

I was running all the time and I was not even a triathlete...I was chasing 2 kids and trying to manage life.   Really it's all good....he is growing up- graduating June 7th.  Off to China for a month in July to learn Mandarin and experience a radically different culture....home for a few weeks and then off to University of Northern Colorado!

Well I cannot go back but I can make the best of the next few months.... sniff, sniff