Empty Nest, Life after Ironman, Next Ironman

While we were whooping it up and suffering on the race course  in Whistler, Riley launched herself.  Her original plan was to move in August to Santa Cruz and start at Cabrillo Community College in September with the intent to transfer to UC Santa Cruz.  After her last "scouting" trip to SC, departure of her best friend and becoming tired of making pizza at Round Table until midnight every night she escalated her timeline. Without a place to live, she let me know she was planning to leave the following Friday.  With a bit of me freaking out and insisting she have a place to live  planning she was resourceful and sublet ted a place for 2 months and decided to move up there with what she could fit in her car. And she decided to move while we were out of town....   The conversation went like this.  Mom " Riley we will be home in 3 days, can't you wait and we can do this together?"  Riley " Mom, I am packed, gave notice at work, my entire room is boxed and I am ready.  I'll be back to get the rest of my stuff in 2 months"  Mom " um ok"  meanwhile crying and thinking really, really she cannot wait??  Meanwhile Riley is packing her car.

But I get it now- she was ready and determined and I am so incredibly proud of her for her integrative and courage to do it.  So she is gone..... it's odd.  I miss her like crazy but did not cry for 2 weeks like I did when JD left.  I honestly think I am so incredibly happy for her and her next phase of life that it overrides my sadness.

And frankly....I really enjoy sleeping all night and not wondering where she is and when she will be home.  When my kids are under my roof I worry.

So our house is crazed with 3 dogs and is a circus most days peaceful and quite without the kids.  As for John and me. We are grand....no empty next issues there.

IRONMAN

So after that incredible feeling of "I did it" I qualified for Kona there is the $850 payment on demand and then the sinking feeling of OMG I have to do it all over again in less than 3 months.  Standing there with bloody toes, toenails that are glued on and quads that do not work really it is a bit overwhelming....

For me it was 6 days of NOTHING, as in NO training.  Not triathlete "no training" which  really means ez bikes and swims, it was zero working out.  And this was key for me, I think.  The day after Whistler I flew to Boulder for Training Peaks University so it was easy to take time off, being out of my normal routine.  6 days later I did an ez swim and 30 min run, the another swim and run and after 8 days and ez 2 hour spin and eased back into it.  The next 7 days were aerobic recovery. 30-45 min runs, 1 hour swim and 2 hour rides but zero intensity.

So by week 3 I was ready to get back at it with volume and intensity.although my idea of intensity and coaches are a bit different  I am feeling pretty good so feel like the recovery plan went well.

My Ironman hick up had to do with registration,  You pay on site at the awards and you get a letter saying you will receive an email within 2 weeks to link you ACTIVE.com to officially register.  Les got hers and mine was MIA   I waited and figured spam? checked spam and nothing. So I emailed qualifer@ironman.com as instructed and the email bounced. I figured I must have misspelled it- so I recheck and send- come right back, So I open a "ticket" at athleteservices@ironman.com.  2 days and nothing.  I open another ticket and then 4 more (ok I am totally panicking now)  I am NOT registered and it is 3+ weeks post race.  I reach out to Jen who works at Ironman and plead for help - this poor girl gets requests every day form her "friends" - I let her know she could put my previous request of Bugles on the run course on hold to help get me registered.  I was in the voicemail hamster wheel for 40 min trying to leave a message at athlete services and finally did ( and maybe left 4 messages)  Meanwhile Les reaches out to Andrew Messick ( yes the CEO) via Slowtwitch and another friend of hers all with the message " help me register!!!) please

Well...24 hours later I had 11 emails " click here of your registration to Ironman World Champoiships"  I am covered now... and don't pay attention to the 11 Julie Dunkle's currenly on the start list.

Shit now I have to race :)  

As for 70.3 Worlds on Mt Tremblant- I qualified and want(ed) to go. But with the expense of Kona, a week of travel to DC this week it just did not make sense 1- money has not started growing on my money trees 2- the time away is too much 3- its far away and I am just not thrilled.  So I'll do the Giro instead 105 miles of riding with over 10,000 ft of climbing including Palomar!  

I really want to get ot Mt Tremblant...but not this year,  Maybe 2015 Ironman? hard to say- but possibility

As for DC- 5 days done and I am en route back home.  Travel + Ironman training is hard, but I did manage to run every day and do 2 solid 90 min runs. Running through the monuments by the White House was just too much fun!  

Tomorrow..... 113 miles and over 10,000 feet of climbing + a little run- WELCOME back to reality!!!  Yeah baby....

Ironman Canada

Ironman Canada... grab a a cup of coffee or maybe a bottle of wine- it's a long one

I was excited and scared….my last IM was Cabo which was a DNF (not a surprise due to a pulled hamstring) but pulling out was hard.  Previous Ironman was 2012 Lake Placid- my worst Ironman ever, felt terrible all day and the marathon was miserable.  So I was scared and wondering if I lost my Ironman mojo.

This was #8.

Alarm set for 3:15 and I woke up 2:45 wide awake.  I was in bed at 7:30 and asleep by 8:15.  I take 1 Sleep Aid before a race, I practiced at home and was fine, but this allows me to get a solid sleep in before the big day.  

3:30- beet power + amino acids.  Cooked and ate 700 calories of gluten free pancakes with oats, topped with butter and almond butter.  2 monster cups of coffee with almond mild.  Done eating 3:45 and managed to do a bit of work, really I was calm and comfortable. This is why I stay in a house, condo or 1 room suite, so John can sleep I can get up and move about comfortably.

4:15- sunscreen, kit, timing chip, HR monitor, sweats, long sleeve jersey, beanie and sweatshirt + wool socks and oofos. 

4:30 left to meet Liz and Lean and standing there I see a guy with his wetsuit and the alarm goes off- mine is in the hotel room.  2 minute jog back, key to side entrance to building does not work, run to front desk, hysterically demand calmly ask for a new key, retrieve wetsuit and back in time to walk to the shuttle

4:50: drop special needs bags

BIKE: 1 bottle of 120 calories OSMOS and the other 4 Bonk Breakers cut in ½ in a bag

RUN: glucose tabs. Aquaphor, socks, kit kat from mini bar ( really?- yes)

5:10 on the bus to swim start.  Swim is 2k walking or 3.8k driving. Feeling calm and excited. Chatting with Liz and Leah.

5:20 – arrive Alta Lake- mist on the lake, snow capped mountains, trees everywhere, music playing, and energy is rolling.  Now it gets real. That pit in my stomach is there.   Pee, check bike, Garmin on, bonk breakers in bento box, bottles in cages and now off to find friends.   Less nervous talking and hanging with SD Peeps.  Long lines for porta potties so Les and I forage in the trees- watch out for poison ivy.

6:00-drink Osmos Pre Load with 16 oz water. 

6:30- where the time goes I don’t know- and our wetsuits are on, bags dropped but kept the socks. Grass is wet and it’s chilly.  Sun is up and this is happening!!!

SWIM:  IM Canada is a 2 loop swim course with a water start. Pro’s Men went off 6:45 and Pro Women 6:50. I was in the water 6:50 and did a light warm up.  I don’t do much of swim warm up for an Ironman.  I found my place font row near the red buoy (far left buoy) the setting was sensational – now capped mountains surrounding the lake, that sense of calm before the storm.  I was calm with a few butterflies but all in all really happy.  Of course around 6:59 2-3 guys swim in front and try and take their place in front of me.  I bully my way back to the front. The cannon went off without any warning and the dog fight began. I was beat up a lot the first 300 meters, pushed under twice by a giant hand on my back, swallowed full mouthfuls of water (hoping this lake did not have Giardia) and soon settled in.  But the 1^st buoy I had settled in and was feeling good.  Loop 1 seemed long but I had a guy in sight and he kept me on task and focused on pace.  I was swimming comfortably strong and within my limits. After the initial cluster I settled into every 3 stroke breathing.   Swim done and out …. I usually don’t look at my time as I don’t want it to affect my day.  But someone shouted 55 and I was pleasantly relieved!  The long OW swims and really, really tough masters swim pay off.  

To get faster even better swimmers need to really be pushed and 90% of us cannot do that on our own. So going to 6am Masters with Hex at the Encinitas Y 3x a week paid off.  Interval swimming is what it takes.  I averaged 13-14,000  yards a week and added 1 OW swim a week toward the end.  People often say to me “you are such a good swimmer can’t you just swim 1-2 days a week” The answer is yes and I have done an Ironman on swimming 7-8000 yards a week.  I swam 5-6 minutes slower BUT came out of the water tanked.  This is the key here, even if you don’t get a lot faster, if you can get out of the water fresh, then you ready for Ironman. Questions on swimming?  Email me idropboys@att.net

Moved through T1 calmly but quickly, Used wetsuit stripes and on my bike. I sip water only for 20 min, allowing my stomach to settle, get used to being up right again. 

I had specific power targets and caps for the bike and I rode spot on.  The bike is 1 “loop with nice long descent from the start out to Olympic Park, and then what seemed like a lot of climbing up to the actual Park where the ski jumps etc. were. It was stunning.  I was in control and had so many flying by me on this climb, out of the saddle, feeling good and going for it. I stayed seated and stuck to my power cap.  This hard as it seems so slow.  The descent back down was spectacular and I flew past the 2 girls who passed up on the climb. We climbed back to Whistler Village, and then a long descent to Pemberton, and then a VERY flat out and back in Pemberton.  This is 35 mile TT- all aero, now using and recruiting different muscles.  I was feeling great- power spot on and was able to hold it without an issue.  Around 85 we began the near 20 miles of climbing back to Whistler and much of that at 10% grade. This is where it gets really.  6mph and a headwind.  I was on task with my power and riding past many of those who hammered by me in the beginning. 

Nutrition:

Water on 30 min

Every 30 min ½ bonk breaker

Hour 1: 22 oz water only

Hour 2: 22 oz Osmos  + caffeine

Hour 3: 22 oz water

Hour 4: 22 ox Osmos + caffeine

Hour 5: 22 oz water

50 min: water only

Total Calories:  1650

Bike split 5:50 xx

Set up : Speedfill A2 between aero bars with water only and would refill at aid stations

Osmos in bottle cage. Used Special needs for 2^nd Osmos bottle + additional bonk breakers. Reynolds 404 in front and Zipp disc in rear (loved the hummmm of the disc)  

Rolled into T2 and handed off the bike (LOVE this feeling) and could tell my legs were okay.  In and out of transition on onto the run.

The 1^st few miles feel great to everyone and my goal is to hold back on the pace.  With a goal of 8:35 pace I wanted (and did ) run my 1^st 3 miles at 9:00.  It felt like 11:00 pace but I kept it in control.   The run course is 2 loops a mix of bike path, trail and road, lots of shade with nearly 2000 ft. of elevation gain.    Loop 1 went by quickly and I was feeling good. At the beginning of the 2^nd loop it got hard, Ironman hard and I was waiting for Les to pass me.  It was going to be any mile but I was focused on my race and what I could do that day. 

My pace was off and I had decided not to push it around mile 5 – the it was not there.  Mile 18 had to make a porta potty stop and I was worried GI issues were setting in but it was just one bout and then back running in a lot of pain now and around 19+ Les came by running like a bat out of hell, it was inspiring to see.  At this point my goals were 1- keep eating 2-keep moving 3- where the F is 3^rd place. 

Around 21 when it was getting dark I see John and he says “just keep moving you can do it Jules” Ok I do.  I am now running 100 steps walking 25 and NOT happy.  Self-doubt battling with positive talk, I am taking it 1 mile at a time, crowds are good.  23 John “don’t give up, you are awesome, you got this” he is excited and tearful, I feed off his emotion.  I was walking 50/50 and I go to 75/25.  

My back is searing in pain, my legs are cramped and some sort of blister is forming...it is hard to move, and something is on fire on my foot- I LOVE IRONMAN.  Mile 24 God bless him more encouraging works and then around 25 “ I want to go to Kona, come on Jules”  I start running and figure it’s the least I can do for all he puts up with is get him a trip to Kona. Soon that surreal feeling of running down chute.  OMG it’s over….  Leading the race until mile 19 was fun, knowing Leslie was running me down was not fun, but I have to say if I had to take 2nd, I would not have wanted anyone else to take 1st. Now I have a training partner for Kona.   GO LES! She rocked it that day and had the better race....I still have one more shot to hold her off 10/11 :) 

 

NUTRITION:

300 calories of Ignite InCarb + Osmos I had in T2 fermented so that was out

Water + perform every aid station through mile 13

Water  + coke 13-26

2 packages of Honey Stinger Organic Chews

Final thoughts… Swim was excellent.  Bike was spot on. Run, my fitness was simply not there (yet) for a marathon at the pace I want to run.  Taking 5 months off running takes a toll.  So the goal in continue to work on running and not be injured!

And the appreciation… most of all for John, who without his undying support and willingness to put up with this exhausting/time consuming sport, I would not have been at the start line.  For Chris @ AIMP Coaching, for taking me out of my comfort zone nice way of saying kicking my arse.  When I would freak out and self-doubt, Chris ignores the hysteria and moves forward, tough “love.”  Nytro Multisport for being the greatest Tri/Bike shop ever! Russ- the kick ass mechanic.  Betty Designs for the coolest kits on the course.  BonkBreaker for fueling 2^nd to none.  Aquasphere for wetsuit that helped me beat a few of the male pros. Speedfill A2- easy access up front on the bike.  Giro and Oakley for the cool sunnies.

Ironman Canada - destination

This is not my race report...but intel on the destination-  

Now in the 2nd year of the new Ironman Canada (which used to be in Penticton) and now in Whistler , I decied to go for it.  The inaugural year "looked" so amazing it seemed a great West Coast option. 

Whistler- stunning village in the mountains.  Very European with cobblestone streets and chalet s about.  Arriving in Whistler it was easy to see that the town had already embraced the race. Banners and signage were up for the race.  The Ironman feel was about. 

Getting here:  Flights to Vancouver are plentiful and reasonably priced. We flew Delta- leaving SD at 6:20 am and were in Vancouver by 11:30. With 4 of us in the group we found a 1 way car rental $145  much less expensive than the shuttle ($62pp)  Cars are on site in Vancouver and we were loaded up and ready to go by 2. With the 90 min drive the total travel time is long but as it would be to any other destination. 

Since we had a car, we made trip to the Whole Foods in Vancouver to shop for food for the week and grab lunch.  It is a beautiful, windy, drive to Whistler.  We had minimal traffic but I hear the later you arrive the more traffic to contend with.  

Westin 

Accommodations- we chose the Westin since we have been here before and I have a relationship with Starwood.  All rooms have a kitchen- we booked the 1 bedroom which makes it nice for those not racing an Ironman ( so John has a place to hang out when I am in bed at 8)  There is a Hilton next door  - also have kitchens and separate bedroom. There are numerous accommodations and reasonably priced  @ $190-220 up until race day.  No price gauging for Ironman.   You DON'T want to be in Creekside- 3 miles away.  The Upper Village offers some nice options as well.  Here in the Village you don't need a car, other than to get to the swim (pre race days) Race day there is a shuttle.  It is 2k from the village, so an ez ride or jog.   I don't recommend a car while you are here-  you have to pay for parking and there is no need to have one, with a grocery in the village and plenty to do + numerous restaurants.   Nestors Market is 2k from the Village and offers higher end, more oranics and nice range of food options.   Need your Juice Fix, check out Green Mustache.

Whistler Village

Ironman headquarters - registration, finish line is in the Olympic Village- a short walk from all Village locations.  The layout is a big grassy area for the expo, tents etc - spacious and easy to get around.   Expo is like any many US Expos- big IM branded tent and mix of IM sponsored booths and local products- nutrition etc.  A spacious and well staffed ART tent which is so appreciated.  They are well practiced and know how to treat an athletes body.

Bringing the family- many, many options. A great destination for your family to play while you rest.  Gondola, Zip Lining, ATV but Mtn Biking is the big sport here- dowhill.  More Mtn bikes than road bikes- really.

Food:  We ate (twice) at Carumba  - great pizza with standard, GF and WW crust.  Pasta was okay- but offered GF as well.  Special pre- race lasagne looked delicious. Affordable and appropriate for a large group.   Friday we at at Sushi Village and I highly recommend it. They open at 5:30 and there was a line out the door. Great sushi and some unique offerings as well. Breakfast we cooked in and lunch was on the go.  The Village is hopping at night with outdoor dining and music all bout.

Swim - nice lake 2k from the village, surrounded by snow capped mountains. Stunning.  64ish degreee.s  Thur and Friday it was cold and windy so be sure to bring sweats, beanie, sweatshirt etc... we were bundled up ( and I hear 2013 was the same) Low of 50 at night so again plan accordingly. Not a lot of parking so by Friday it was congested ( we had a friend with a car)

...more on Whistler the Ironman to come 

Tuesday before Ironman

1 - wake up 4:30 so we can be on race day schedule? no because Mako wakes up at 4:30 and stands in our doorway until Roo wakes up and when Roo wakes up  we all wake up

2- Ez run, flush out the legs  and visualize Ironman  or stay on my feet with 2 Vizsla's on leash. Mako well trained and running alongside and Roo running all over trying to figure out what the hell is around her neck.

3- 1 hour of calls, work and emails.

4-  2 hour ez ride on road bike, TT bike long gone with Tri Bike Transport

5- More work and the realization that I will not be on vacation in Whistler but working (a lot) call to ATT to set up voice/data plan for International travel.  So speedy.... 27 minutes later all set up.

6- More drug dealer  tiny plastic bags laid out with white powder, pills and other assorted racing and training needs.  Sharpie to mark what power is what, how many calories are in each bag- double bag so powder not dispersed all over luggage.

7- shoes, helmet, final packing- giant pile in my bedroom- how much gear do you need for an Ironman.

8- call from client?  " are you free Friday or Monday for a meeting?"  Uh no.. trying to schedule call around Ironman and then set up face to face.

9 - realizing we return Tue at 11:30pm and my flight to Boulder is Wed 11am for Training Peaks University 3 day class and then Ironman Boulder coaching.

10- Swim lesson, masters coaching - purposely give long main set as I need to review a contract on my iPhone.  I am usually 100% committed to my swimmers and coaching but well I am blaming Ironman.  

11- Starbucks- caffeine and a few more calls

12- Apple Store..iphone is acting up as in breaking out in song on it's own and with songs I'm not sure I have on the phone.  While there use gift card which was not working for new headphones.  Card not working and I slip from calm patient customer to start raving WTF customer..the louder I get the larger the space around me.  Manger soon arrives and "fixes" situation ie: make the crazy lady quiet.  I apologize and ask if they have ever done an Ironman.

13- Lululemon - for running shorts.  I have a pair of black speed shorts and they are MIA.  After hour  + of going through all workout bins- shorts, sports bra's, tops, cycling gear etc I give up and go shopping.  My mantra "do not buy anything else"  With 11 items in the fitting room I recommit and buy only my replacement shorts.  And learned not to wash or dry with 100% cotton towels- why? causes pilling.  How is this the first time I have heard this?  noted...

14- My 10th visit to Nytro- RaceDayBoost supply was low - as in 4 pills short in what I need.  So why risk it right.... does Race Day Boost work ? hard to say - I have had great races and not great races using it.   It is sodium phosphate loading- why? supposedly boost glycogen storage, provides lactic acid buffering and increased time at anaerobic threshold (where I will NOT be during Ironman.

15- last few hours of work, packing, re- packing, unpacking to make sure I packed what I thought I packed, review of race day check list and then trying to remember what I put in my gear bag that shipped with my bike. Decided if I could not find what I was looking for (ie: race goggles and sunglasses) I must have sent in gear bag.  Note to self: write down what was in gear back vs frantically stuffing it as I am headed to 6am masters realizing I have to drop off that day and want to save a trip. 

16 - goal to be in bed 8:00 - as we have a 3:30 wake up  - 9:30 I was in bed.... well it is Tuesday before Ironman that is okay to short sleep tonight! 

What happens 10 days before an Ironman

NONE of this has to do with training BTW

1- you get offered a "free" condo (due to injury and other issues the party cannot go). Condo location in "village' at the gondola.... another cool person staying in the condo.  Cool....email me the address so I can see on a map (i'm anal that way)  The email delayed, work day gets busy... I take a risk and cancel my non refundable  in tiny print  hotel suite at the hotel,  that is btw walking distance to EVERYTHING to stay in the condo. Sound good lets save $$. Blame my mothers health for the cancellation and plead, plead to get out of the hotel booking.  DONE.  Later in the day, I check the location of the condo and it is 5k from the village, wait I say, 5 minute walk, no google maps shows 5k ,  Yes it is at the base of A gondola not THE gondola.  Aaaaahhhh.... my suite is gone, I don't have a car and I want to be in THE village.  (mini tantrum here)  I humbly call the hotel, " Mom's cured"  and I can travel  or something like that.  Thankfully they re-instated my reservation and  passed on congratulations to my mom who was miraculously cured.  And we are back in business.

2- rented a disc for 5 days but forgot that I decided to send my bike Tri Bike Transport, which means the bike is gone 10+ days.  The 4 day rental had been graciously offered for 5 days (thank you Rachel and Moment Cycle Sport)  but now I need the dics for 15 days...they offer 4 or 10 day rental.  Ironman is not cheap....double the rental and still a discount.. check rental prices and duration in the future.

3- The disc cannot be on my bike for TBT  (has to be in a wheel bag) so I go back Nytro who I am soo thankful for.  Russ graciously put the disc on and then I hear "is your bike 11 speed?" NO- spacer fixed that.   Next "have you ever put this disc on this bike?" No, why.... well the brakes will not work.  What do you mean, won't work,  "well I have to open them so wide that the crank hits the brake"  Um.. this is a problem. I see a bloody ankle riding 112 miles hitting the crank- not all that aero either.  Russ, amazing bike mechanic, works on it, trades out the brake pads and we are in business.  I have a disc AND rear brakes.  Disc off, wheel on, Disc in bag and bike left at Nytro.

4- yesterday during my "housing crisis"  ( I say that in jest- if my crisis comes down to where will I stay in Whistler- I realize my life is pretty blessed- I get it)  in any case... I was scratching my arm ( alot)  Today I look and see blisters, itchy blisters, oozing blisters...which means one thing poison oak.  Panic, panic.... I have bad reactions.... I don't want the systemic outbreak.  Solution, steroids, crap banned substance.  Call to Dr, How many days do i take the pills?  How long will it be in my system?  Nurse says they will get back to me, please hold and then can we all you back? I panic.  Nurse asks me "ma'am is this a medical emergency"  NO it is an Ironman emergency.   Meanwhile using sssting stop and well it's nnnnnnoooooot working

5- Di2 battery died (again)  Charger packed and is at home.  Luckily Leslie has one too and I camped at her house to charge it to ship it so I can ride it when we all get to Whistler.

6- did I mention my arm itches

7- Shoe dilemma.  Hoka's don't hurt my PF. Hoka  are heavy and I am worried by mile 21 when my cadence is 27 and I cannot life my knees when I am struggling to drive my knees and engage my glutes that my shoes  will feel like lead bricks and stick to the pavement  will feel heavy.  So yes here I am 10 days out ....what shoes will I wear.  Did I mention my Hoka's have a blow out?  Will that compromise the shoe, my run? I superglued it- how is that 10 days out I am not sure what shoes to wear?  we are always learning....right. Do I wear the new Hoka's same model I just bought off ebay? Oh what to do....

8- Bento Box- this one is big (lol) I cannot use a normal bento box due to the electronic cables and how they lay on my bike.  I have one attached to the seat post but it is hard to get into and I have to come out of my aero bars.  So I ordered a slick  aero one- Bontrager speed box ( yes it will shave 10 minutes off my Ironman bike split)  but I need industrial velcro to attach it and I could not find any so ordered some on Amazon...arrived today but I dropped off my bike to be shipped!  what to do.... Project in Whistler

So there you have it... meanwhile I am coaching, working my real job and being a mom and a wife (sort of ) 

Recovery +

Soon after posting my last blog I read the following article from purplepatch - Matt Dixon and it again resonated so well.  I encourage all athletes to read 

 http://purplepatchfitness.com/blog/discipline-difference-between-good-and-great-performance

What is the "money" here or the highlights (from my perspective) 

For example, an athlete may be very disciplined about hitting every workout on their training plan, however, a better application is to be very disciplined about listening to the body and allowing yourself to miss a workout in favor of recovery when necessary.

The essence of discipline is rejecting what you want today, to achieve what you want tomorrow

• Cannot stand to see a slow pace- EVER! Training with GPS/timing often adds stress and depression.
• Mentally and emotionally struggles with recover days. Feels guilt or sees them as a waste of time.
• Believes in an inflexible training plan. Will execute every session on the training plan regardless of how the body feels or ‘real world’ events that are happening (job, family, lack of sleep, etc).  this is why we hire coaches who monitor and work with the athlete- when life "happens" we should consider altering training, short term adjustments can prevent illness, injury or burn out 

This is hard for ALL of us..... missing a workout can feel like "failure", riding off the back makes us feel slower.....but we need to trust in the plan or coach and keep the big picture in mind.  As my old coach Kevin Purcell used to say "do you want to win the workout" or " execute on race day"  

Recovery...don't deny your body

Triathletes LOVE to post, blog, talk about monster training weeks, (me included), how many hours, miles or meters logged.  For some it maybe boasting, some it maybe pride, some it maybe to psych out their competition, some it’s just fun…. For every “110 mile bike + 5 mile run” posts how many “awesome 3 mile recovery run” or “day off” posts do you see? 

Not many….  Yet, these workouts are most likely the ones elevate athletes.   As a Masters athlete I generally accept and understand the need for recovery except for when I am greedy and eager to train, train, train and as a Coach I do as well.    I have a new Coach (since February) and while I am training with more intensity and higher volume I also have more days off than ever.  3 Mondays of each month are DAYS OFF not light swim, ez run, and days off as in no swim, bike, run, yoga, and strength.

 

This took some getting used to.  In the beginning I would email coach, how about an easy swim?  NO.  Thought on ez spin?  NO.  I soon stopped asking and really started to tune into my body, was my body eager to train or was it my brain?  Usually my brain.  I started to notice I was less afraid more excited about my Sunday workouts knowing that Monday was off.   Ironman training is often about finishing the workout knowing you could keep going, roll one into another, but resting before it is necessary is also key.

As an athlete I get caught up in what my competition or training partners (sometimes one in the same) are doing… and then I let go and remind myself I am different (my strengths, weaknesses and daily stressors are unique to me alone) and my coach is coaching me for what I can handle.   As a Coach this is crystal clear, as an athlete the waters are muddied somewhat at times.

So after the fat 24 hour week I was so proud of, I backed that week up with 9, yes 9 hours.  5 weeks out from an Ironman I wanted to roll more volume.  My coach (as do I) like to schedule 7-10 days at a time and this is why.  Coming off a monster week and then a day off I was tired.  I knew it.  I was not sleeping well and was starving- 2 key indicators of fatigue. So I waved the white flag and let coach know – here is how the coach/athlete relationship flourishes.  The Coach can only know so much by looking at training logs, HR etc, he/she needs the athlete feedback. I surrendered and he responded with some deep recovery.  Sure I could have written “feeling a bit tired but ready to go” and the week would have gone as written, but I have done that and paid the price.   As an athlete only you really know how you are feeling (listen to your body) .  Lose the mindset of it I tell coach I am tired, she will change my schedule and that is a bad thing.  Embrace it as in “I am so glad I have a coach who monitors my training and wellbeing and adjusts to how I am feeling” Think of it as the stronger athlete takes recovery!

This is why I love coaching, training and racing and having my own coach- It makes me a better athlete and a better Coach.