I've really been struggling with this blog post. I started it a couple weeks ago, after reading an article featuring a photographer showcasing 4th trimester bodies, and how society's expectation for how a woman's body should look after giving birth. It's quite ridiculous, yet very real. My first reaction was "How awesome, I'm so glad someone is doing this, it's so important". Then after thinking on it for a while my reaction was "This sucks that so many women feel this way about their post pregnancy body". I had a very clear message in mind in this post - Celebrate that mama body no matter what the size, shape and perhaps some battle scars post pregnancy. But I struggled as I heard many of you reading this post thinking "Really? Easy for her to say. She's back pre-pregnancy weight and just completed a Half Ironman - whoopdeedo and good for her"
It's true - I am back to pre-pregnancy weight and I did complete a Half Ironman a couple months ago. (Full disclosure: I have fallen off the work-out wagon since my race. But now that my babe is sleeping through the night I have rekindled my love with waking to the sound of his voice, so I sleep in instead of getting up to work out.) I often tell people that I'm fortunate in what I love to do in my free time is to work out. I love triathlons. LOVE them. Love the training, Love the competition, and trying to figure out how early I can be ready for an Ironman if we choose to have another baby. My second love is helping others start or get better at doing triathlons. Especially mamas who have very limited time and think there is no way they have time to prepare for a triathlon. A wonderful by-product of my passions is being in pretty good physical shape most of the year. But my body will never be the same as it was before I was pregnant. And I'm not sure I want it to be. This year, I posted some of my fastest times, in my mama body.
People have many passions. You may devote those extra 30-60 minutes a day to reading, TV, movies, knitting, resting. Every one of those choices is perfect for whoever you are. If you don't know what that passion is for you - maybe try a few different things out in the weeks to come. Really try to ensure yourself some mama time every day. Believe me - around here - especially in the fall - that is HARD to come by for me. But you gotta try to find it. And let your 'roomate(s)' know what and when that is, so you have their support; whether that means taking care of the kids, clearing the house for quiet time, preparing dinner. Honest communication is key to success. (in all things really right?)
Now, truth be told (and for those of you who see me on a regular basis, know how very true this is), I don't put a very high value on the way I look, with or without clothes. It's not that I don't value myself - It's just not that important to me to look a certain way - mainly because I'm not very confident in my ability to look 'put together', so a t-shirt and jeans is a safe, easy and comfortable option for me most of the time. Which is why when my husband and I went out for date night and I wore a short dress with boots and accessories (I didn't have many to choose from) - which a best friend and her daughters had to come over one night and help me pick out because I would have totally worn jeans and a black sweater - his jaw hit the floor.
I don't feel comfortable in a bikini, never really have. But not in the traditional sense - mainly, I just don't see it as functional. But I have to admit, I do feel a bit more comfortable now that I'm a mama because I feel like it's awesome that my body had a baby!!! So, who cares what you think it looks like - I think it's pretty dang amazing. When it comes to race day, my tri gear, although skin tight and often not very flattering, I could give two hoots, because it's what I'm about to do in that tri gear that fuels my fire. (another full disclosure: I did ask DH if I looked acceptable in my tri gear before my first race. Heck, I'm doing a triathlon - I look great!!)
It became apparent to me the other day when T was sitting on my lap after nursing, my shirt was pulled up and he started grabbing at my tummy. I had been feeling pretty good about my mama body until I saw his hands kneading my soft belly. It made me feel kinda icky about not working out more, not being firmer - then I realized that my son...MY SON.... who I gave birth to...GAVE BIRTH TO....is kneading my soft belly - I LOVE IT.
So here's the point...and I really do have one here...... you are a MAMA...you put another humans (maybe multiple other humans) needs ahead of yours every minute of every hour of every day. You scarf down quick snacks in between making and serving/feeding others full mealtimes with love. You get up early and stay up late doing laundry, cleaning the house, feeding the dogs, planning meals, planning fun activities. You are a MAMA.
It doesn't matter if you had a home or hospital birth, vaginal or cesarean, adopted your babe(s), gained 100 lbs during your pregnancy, are back at your pre pregnancy weight, barely have time to get in 10 minutes of yoga each week, are so tired you can't even see the bags under your eyes and accidentally put a box of cereal in the fridge (then didn't think it was weird when you went to get it out of the fridge to have some...), have nursing tatas that are nearing your belly button, not quite sure where that belly piercing used to go, have a dark line down your tummy that just doesn't seem to want to go away, have new marks on your body from stretching over a bowling ball, what matters is that you are AMAZING. If you were fortunate enough to be pregnant - YOU GREW ANOTHER HUMAN BEING WITH YOUR OWN BODY- your lovely mama body, and you are fantastically amazing!!! If you were fortunate enough to be able to adopt your own child - HOLY COW, YOU GAVE YOUR CHILD A MAMA AND FAMILY FOREVER - your lovely mama body, and you are fantastically amazing!!
Next time you stand in front of the mirror before you shower/bathe, look at that fantastically amazing mama body. Not the value we are told to see by society. But that amazing mama body that gives more love every day then you ever knew you had. That amazing mama body that carries your children in and out of the car, the high chair, around the store, crawls around on the floor playing cars and dolls, makes silly sounds, has interesting conversations, gets tugged on, pulled on, kneaded, comforts tears, gives unlimited hugs, kisses and squeezes.
Look at that mama body up and down and up again.
Be proud.
You are loved.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Race Report - You won a Baby!!
Expectations [Week 19; 1 To Go]
Adventures [Week 20; 0 To Go]
Well, I did it. I successfully showed up and completed my A Race on Saturday, 7 1/2 months after giving birth to my son. A Half Ironman distance triathlon. T and I (and Great Cousin KK) adventured 700 miles from home to get mama to the starting line.
Forecast became increasingly....interesting....as race day approached. After an interesting night of sleep with T and a rough morning (thanks Grandma for getting my crying son back to sleep while mama got out the door to the race) Grandpa dropped me off and I was off to the transition area. My Big Brother and Cousin met me before the race and were there to see me off on the swim. It was quite a drive for them that early in the morning, and it meant the World to me that they got there to see me before my race.
Because of high winds and white caps at 4 AM, the swim was moved to the marina, which was very interesting. The swim consisted of a time trial start (which makes for a very different race mentality as you don't know when folks started as you are racing them out on the course), and two loops up and down and around the boats and docks. We even had to go under one of the dock walkways which was kind of freaky, but it was safe and calm. It rained most of the swim, which didn't matter much cause I was wet anyway....but the spectators probably weren't loving it :) As I exited the swim I saw Grandma and Grandpa and T cheering for me!!! I didn't expect that at all as I figured they would still be sleeping - but I guess T had different plans :)
So the bike was cold.......and wet......and windy most of the way. It was a fairly flat course, but the wind took it's toll on the athletes and you could see it on our faces as we passed each other after the two turn around points. But I grinded it out, and didn't get in a crash or slip during the ride - so that's a win for me! One of the beautiful things about weather - good or bad - during a race, is that everyone is in the same weather (for the most part), so we all had the same 'stuff' to deal with, and any race day is a good day. And......I successfully peed during the ride.....yup, I said it.....I HAD TO GO!!!!.....and it's harder then you think when you're trying to pedal or at least not slow down too much :) Guess I'll have to start practicing that next season.....don't worry babe, I'll warn ya if you're behind me and we're training together :)
So then the run. I was feeling pretty drained, but happy to be done with two out of the three disciplines. Only 13.1 more miles to go. I lost my last water bottle on the ride (grabbed a water bottle at the aid station, got one sip, and lost it when trying to put it back on my bike) - so was trying to play catch-up a bit with hydration. It wasn't hot, so I hadn't lost too much water, but I still knew I was behind a bit. Now it was time to test out my over the shoulder boulder holder as my milk supply as been growing since 6 AM (nursing mamas who like to be active - Go to Athleta - it's the best $60 you'll ever spend) Short of the long is that I made it - I was a bit top heavy - and I pushed it a bit hard from miles 7-9, which made the last 4 miles pretty ugly - but I made it. It is different from most other races that I've been a part of because there are three distances (sprint, Olympic, half) of a triathlon, duathlon, aquabike, and kayakathon - so there are A LOT of other races going on - all of which are finishing before the full half ironman distance of the triathlon - so it was a bit lonely out there on the run. As I came down the finish shoot there was not another racing soul to be found- which just felt a little off - but I was ecstatic to see Grandma, Grandpa and my Beautiful T at the finish line waiting for me.
It was an awesome day! I overcame quite a few obstacles to pull that day off and having a great cheering section sure did help :) I couldn't help but think when I was struggling about my last post. Again, you know who you are and I thought of you often. Thank you for inspiring me and pushing me to be the best mama and triathlete I can be.
T was a trooper the entire day - of course. He traveled back and forth to the race twice - napped well, and even came back to town two more times as we tried to participate in the festivities at the end of the day because....... I Placed 2nd in my Age Group and 6th female overall! Now there were only 32 women in the half ironman distance - but 6th place ain't bad for a new mama. It was a very long day, but well worth the wait, in a couple torrential downpours under the tent, to walk up with my son for my only hardware of the season. When I came back to our seats a fellow athlete sitting near us (you can see her in the pic)said jokingly "You won a Baby!"
Oh man, did I ever. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
(the flash was really bright :) )
Thanks so much to EVERYONE who has supported me and my family over the last 8 1/2 months. I fear forgetting someone so I won't list everyone, but you all know who you are. Whether you live in MI, MN, FL, TX, PA, MA, or NewZealand (yeah you too:) ) I love you and I thank you.
Adventures [Week 20; 0 To Go]
Well, I did it. I successfully showed up and completed my A Race on Saturday, 7 1/2 months after giving birth to my son. A Half Ironman distance triathlon. T and I (and Great Cousin KK) adventured 700 miles from home to get mama to the starting line.
Forecast became increasingly....interesting....as race day approached. After an interesting night of sleep with T and a rough morning (thanks Grandma for getting my crying son back to sleep while mama got out the door to the race) Grandpa dropped me off and I was off to the transition area. My Big Brother and Cousin met me before the race and were there to see me off on the swim. It was quite a drive for them that early in the morning, and it meant the World to me that they got there to see me before my race.
Because of high winds and white caps at 4 AM, the swim was moved to the marina, which was very interesting. The swim consisted of a time trial start (which makes for a very different race mentality as you don't know when folks started as you are racing them out on the course), and two loops up and down and around the boats and docks. We even had to go under one of the dock walkways which was kind of freaky, but it was safe and calm. It rained most of the swim, which didn't matter much cause I was wet anyway....but the spectators probably weren't loving it :) As I exited the swim I saw Grandma and Grandpa and T cheering for me!!! I didn't expect that at all as I figured they would still be sleeping - but I guess T had different plans :)
So the bike was cold.......and wet......and windy most of the way. It was a fairly flat course, but the wind took it's toll on the athletes and you could see it on our faces as we passed each other after the two turn around points. But I grinded it out, and didn't get in a crash or slip during the ride - so that's a win for me! One of the beautiful things about weather - good or bad - during a race, is that everyone is in the same weather (for the most part), so we all had the same 'stuff' to deal with, and any race day is a good day. And......I successfully peed during the ride.....yup, I said it.....I HAD TO GO!!!!.....and it's harder then you think when you're trying to pedal or at least not slow down too much :) Guess I'll have to start practicing that next season.....don't worry babe, I'll warn ya if you're behind me and we're training together :)
So then the run. I was feeling pretty drained, but happy to be done with two out of the three disciplines. Only 13.1 more miles to go. I lost my last water bottle on the ride (grabbed a water bottle at the aid station, got one sip, and lost it when trying to put it back on my bike) - so was trying to play catch-up a bit with hydration. It wasn't hot, so I hadn't lost too much water, but I still knew I was behind a bit. Now it was time to test out my over the shoulder boulder holder as my milk supply as been growing since 6 AM (nursing mamas who like to be active - Go to Athleta - it's the best $60 you'll ever spend) Short of the long is that I made it - I was a bit top heavy - and I pushed it a bit hard from miles 7-9, which made the last 4 miles pretty ugly - but I made it. It is different from most other races that I've been a part of because there are three distances (sprint, Olympic, half) of a triathlon, duathlon, aquabike, and kayakathon - so there are A LOT of other races going on - all of which are finishing before the full half ironman distance of the triathlon - so it was a bit lonely out there on the run. As I came down the finish shoot there was not another racing soul to be found- which just felt a little off - but I was ecstatic to see Grandma, Grandpa and my Beautiful T at the finish line waiting for me.
It was an awesome day! I overcame quite a few obstacles to pull that day off and having a great cheering section sure did help :) I couldn't help but think when I was struggling about my last post. Again, you know who you are and I thought of you often. Thank you for inspiring me and pushing me to be the best mama and triathlete I can be.
T was a trooper the entire day - of course. He traveled back and forth to the race twice - napped well, and even came back to town two more times as we tried to participate in the festivities at the end of the day because....... I Placed 2nd in my Age Group and 6th female overall! Now there were only 32 women in the half ironman distance - but 6th place ain't bad for a new mama. It was a very long day, but well worth the wait, in a couple torrential downpours under the tent, to walk up with my son for my only hardware of the season. When I came back to our seats a fellow athlete sitting near us (you can see her in the pic)said jokingly "You won a Baby!"
Oh man, did I ever. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
Thanks so much to EVERYONE who has supported me and my family over the last 8 1/2 months. I fear forgetting someone so I won't list everyone, but you all know who you are. Whether you live in MI, MN, FL, TX, PA, MA, or NewZealand (yeah you too:) ) I love you and I thank you.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Mantras - And Living Them
Volume [Week 16; 4 To Go]
Injury [Week 17; 3 To Go]
Perspective [Week 18; 2 To Go]
I apologize for the overuse of CAPS in this post....but I was in-between crying and screaming as I wrote this :)
Less than two weeks to go till my half Ironman A race...12 days to be exact...and.....I'm injured.....long story short - I woke up one morning and couldn't pick my head up off the pillow. It was Terrible. Horrible. Very Bad. This happened on a Thursday. After an emergency visit to the chiropractor and a corrective session of massage therapy I thought maybe - JUST maybe, I would be able to race on Sunday. Yeah - not so much. But after 6 full days 100% off, and not showing up at the starting line of my scheduled Olympic race, I attempted to start my workouts again. I did attend the race, but as a spectator to cheer on my friends....and I cried on the drive to the race because I couldn't race, but DS and I had a great adventure day and it was a BEAUTIFUL day to watch a race.
Without getting into the specifics of how I eased into my workouts - it simply was hard to not continue to work out. It was hard to mentally wrap my head around the fact that I wasn't going to be 100% at my A race. It was hard to watch my fitness fizzle into nothingness as I wallowed in my pain and injury cycle of ice/heat/biofreeze/rest/sorrow.
OMG!! GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!
Win the Day / Pain is temporary / Embrace the Suck / If it was easy everyone would do it / Pain is weakness leaving the body / Enter the Pain Cave / Fake the Funk / enter any mantra
During training you have good days and bad days. During a race it's important to be able to recall both. The good training sessions remind you that YOU CAN DO THIS! The bad training sessions remind you that YOU CAN DO THIS!
During training you have set backs; fatigue, injury, vacations where you drink too much- eat too much- and train too little, schedules that make training sessions simply impossible to execute as planned, small humans that seem to take up every minute of your day although you don't know where they went. How do we react to that adversity? How do we react to things not being optimal? How do we react when we can't 'go back' or 'undo' or simply change the state of affairs?
Well I, apparently, slump down, simply cash in my chips and just want my season to be over....WHAT!?!?!!! yup, that's how I reacted - sad but true.
Wait a sec - What was this triathlon season about for me? Why do I race? When training for and executing and Ironman Distance Triathlon you have to have at least one thing that you can bring to the forefront of your tired brain as the pain begins to take over your more tired body. ONE thing that reminds you WHY you are racing. You WILL come to a point where your mind has to have a conversation with your body and your mind MUST convince your body to overcome.
I came into this triathlon season after having a baby...HAVING A BABY 8 months ago!!! I will have an 8 1/2 month old son at the finish line of my half ironman triathlon race in 12 days. How frickin cool is that? My goal at the beginning of the season was simply to show up at the start line of my scheduled races. I told myself, and my family, that if I got to the bike and couldn't do it - at least I showed up. If I got to the run and couldn't do it - at least I showed up. If I had to walk the entire run - at least I showed up. Even the race I was legitimately injured for, I showed up in support of my fellow triathletes. My goal at the beginning of the season was to lose a pound a week until race day. Well that was pretty impossible when I actually did the math, but I did lose 30 lbs in 30 weeks after 6 weeks post partum - and at the moment I'm stuck - at a pretty great weight. That's AWESOME!!
What in the world am I moping around about? What is my one thing? Why do I race?
I race because I am able. I race because there are those who can't. I have people in my life that would LOVE to be able to train for a triathlon. It never fails during a long run that I think of the people I love in my life that can't, for whatever reason, swim, bike, run. At All. During every race, I mean every race, (there's even video proof in my IM of me telling folks to call her and tell her that I love her) I think of the person who inspires me the most. A person who would love to be out of breath with me on that run. A person who would love to have the ability to start a swim with 2800 other people at the same time. A person who would love to be chaffed from too much activity. A person who has undergone many more physically painful situations then I - and I think of that every time I feel like I'm hurting on my run. A person who gets me choked up thinking about how much she inspires me to be a better woman and mother every day. You know who you are - And I love you. Many people tell me that I inspire them because I do triathlons or because I did an Ironman. Which is great - don't get me wrong. But My inspiration? An amazing mom, wife, sister, daughter who (Even though she doesn't feel like it probably) tackles each day with vengeance - and has many reasons she could use to just cave in. A woman so strong in her faith she could build a mansion on it. An amazing couple who is trying to put the pieces of their life back together from an accident. Trying every day to be thankful, while still struggling to physically get back to life. An Incredible teenager (who I still think might just do a triathlon one day - he did actually cross the finish line of one once) who is trying to be his best every day, and overcome each challenge as it faces him. An amazing infant who lived inside me for 10 months and came out of my hoo-haa (a feat I'm still quite amazed about when I look at him) and learns more and more every day.
YOU INSPIRE ME - and I race in your place - in 12 days. You will be ever present on my mind and reminding me that I will show up and I will give it my best - that day and every day after.
Injury [Week 17; 3 To Go]
Perspective [Week 18; 2 To Go]
I apologize for the overuse of CAPS in this post....but I was in-between crying and screaming as I wrote this :)
Less than two weeks to go till my half Ironman A race...12 days to be exact...and.....I'm injured.....long story short - I woke up one morning and couldn't pick my head up off the pillow. It was Terrible. Horrible. Very Bad. This happened on a Thursday. After an emergency visit to the chiropractor and a corrective session of massage therapy I thought maybe - JUST maybe, I would be able to race on Sunday. Yeah - not so much. But after 6 full days 100% off, and not showing up at the starting line of my scheduled Olympic race, I attempted to start my workouts again. I did attend the race, but as a spectator to cheer on my friends....and I cried on the drive to the race because I couldn't race, but DS and I had a great adventure day and it was a BEAUTIFUL day to watch a race.
Without getting into the specifics of how I eased into my workouts - it simply was hard to not continue to work out. It was hard to mentally wrap my head around the fact that I wasn't going to be 100% at my A race. It was hard to watch my fitness fizzle into nothingness as I wallowed in my pain and injury cycle of ice/heat/biofreeze/rest/sorrow.
OMG!! GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!
Win the Day / Pain is temporary / Embrace the Suck / If it was easy everyone would do it / Pain is weakness leaving the body / Enter the Pain Cave / Fake the Funk / enter any mantra
During training you have good days and bad days. During a race it's important to be able to recall both. The good training sessions remind you that YOU CAN DO THIS! The bad training sessions remind you that YOU CAN DO THIS!
During training you have set backs; fatigue, injury, vacations where you drink too much- eat too much- and train too little, schedules that make training sessions simply impossible to execute as planned, small humans that seem to take up every minute of your day although you don't know where they went. How do we react to that adversity? How do we react to things not being optimal? How do we react when we can't 'go back' or 'undo' or simply change the state of affairs?
Well I, apparently, slump down, simply cash in my chips and just want my season to be over....WHAT!?!?!!! yup, that's how I reacted - sad but true.
Wait a sec - What was this triathlon season about for me? Why do I race? When training for and executing and Ironman Distance Triathlon you have to have at least one thing that you can bring to the forefront of your tired brain as the pain begins to take over your more tired body. ONE thing that reminds you WHY you are racing. You WILL come to a point where your mind has to have a conversation with your body and your mind MUST convince your body to overcome.
I came into this triathlon season after having a baby...HAVING A BABY 8 months ago!!! I will have an 8 1/2 month old son at the finish line of my half ironman triathlon race in 12 days. How frickin cool is that? My goal at the beginning of the season was simply to show up at the start line of my scheduled races. I told myself, and my family, that if I got to the bike and couldn't do it - at least I showed up. If I got to the run and couldn't do it - at least I showed up. If I had to walk the entire run - at least I showed up. Even the race I was legitimately injured for, I showed up in support of my fellow triathletes. My goal at the beginning of the season was to lose a pound a week until race day. Well that was pretty impossible when I actually did the math, but I did lose 30 lbs in 30 weeks after 6 weeks post partum - and at the moment I'm stuck - at a pretty great weight. That's AWESOME!!
What in the world am I moping around about? What is my one thing? Why do I race?
I race because I am able. I race because there are those who can't. I have people in my life that would LOVE to be able to train for a triathlon. It never fails during a long run that I think of the people I love in my life that can't, for whatever reason, swim, bike, run. At All. During every race, I mean every race, (there's even video proof in my IM of me telling folks to call her and tell her that I love her) I think of the person who inspires me the most. A person who would love to be out of breath with me on that run. A person who would love to have the ability to start a swim with 2800 other people at the same time. A person who would love to be chaffed from too much activity. A person who has undergone many more physically painful situations then I - and I think of that every time I feel like I'm hurting on my run. A person who gets me choked up thinking about how much she inspires me to be a better woman and mother every day. You know who you are - And I love you. Many people tell me that I inspire them because I do triathlons or because I did an Ironman. Which is great - don't get me wrong. But My inspiration? An amazing mom, wife, sister, daughter who (Even though she doesn't feel like it probably) tackles each day with vengeance - and has many reasons she could use to just cave in. A woman so strong in her faith she could build a mansion on it. An amazing couple who is trying to put the pieces of their life back together from an accident. Trying every day to be thankful, while still struggling to physically get back to life. An Incredible teenager (who I still think might just do a triathlon one day - he did actually cross the finish line of one once) who is trying to be his best every day, and overcome each challenge as it faces him. An amazing infant who lived inside me for 10 months and came out of my hoo-haa (a feat I'm still quite amazed about when I look at him) and learns more and more every day.
YOU INSPIRE ME - and I race in your place - in 12 days. You will be ever present on my mind and reminding me that I will show up and I will give it my best - that day and every day after.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Pre, During, Post Race
It's hard to maintain weeks of focus and determination during triathlon training, which is why recovery weeks and racing is so important during training. Recovery weeks are something to look forward to (and those of you who train know what it feels like the weekend before starting a recovery week) and races keep training spiced up a bit and helps keep your eye on the prize. If you can plan a race at the end of a recovery week - even better. You can reward yourself by kicking butt at a race after a rested recovery week!
Not everyone is doing more than one triathlon during a race season. And that's OK. One triathlon is an awesome goal and accomplishment. Those that are signed up for multiple races might be trying to focus in on being fast at the shorter races, and 'peak' for each race. Some might have a long distance race as their 'A' race, and are adding shorter races before to practice in race clothing, nutrition, hydration and transition. Each race adds to your race 'bank'. Each race should be looked at for lessons learned to take into future races, even if it's not your best race, ESPECIALLY if it's not your best race. Both DH and I have had our best Lessons in our worst races. A couple years ago, my seat post was not secure (manufactures defect that I didn't know about until after) and fell so I had to ride out of my saddle for about 15 miles of the first loop (total of 56 mile bike). I quit. I went to the parking lot to look for DH. I cashed it in. Fortunately DH was out on a run and I ran into a bike mechanic. He fixed my seat and tightened it as best he could. It got me almost thorugh the second loop and I finished the bike, and on to the run. My nephew had come to watch me that day - his first triathlon. I saw him in T2 and had the gumption to continue on to the long run. How could I quit after seeing him cheer me on? Recently DH had a flat on the ride, fixed it and finished the race. Had he not flatted he would have finished better in his age group than he ever had before. We both proved that we could overcome and conquer, even when we know we will not have our best time. In my case, that day, was still my best race, and my favorite race.
The triathlete that is successful in Planning, Executing and Reflecting on each race will grow as a triathlete and see progress as they continue in the sport. Planning not only includes your training plan, but also getting prepared the night before your race. Set up a transition area the night before. Grab your wetsuit (if you're wearing one), your race clothing, timing chip, cap and goggles and stand in front of your other gear. drop your wetsuit, cap and goggles and pick up what you'll need for the ride. You'll need shoes, and a helmet to race. Are you wearing sunglasses, sunscreen, socks, taking in nutrition/hydration? Do you have to wear your race number for the bike? Do you need your race number on your helmet or bike or both? Once you know you have everything you need for the bike leg of the race, set that down and grab your run race gear. You'll need shoes and a race number. sunglasses? Are you taking in nutrition or running with hydration? Make sure you have everything you need to race.
Makle sure you know WHAT you need in your transition area for your race. Know WHAT order you will pick it up and put in on (T1 or T2), as well as what order you will take it off or change it up in T2. Step through what you will do in T1 and T2 several times. When you are racing your mind gets foggy, so you can rely on your ability to think clearly and remember then - it must be a habit.
In order to Execute, it's a bit more then just showing up to the race. What is your goal for the race? Is this your "A" race and what all those hours of training were for? Is this a "C" race and you are trying out some different nutrition and hydration in a race scenario? Know what your goal is for the race (not always a time) and execute that to plan. Then take the time to Reflect on your race and any lessons your learned that day. Maybe it's as simple as trying to smile through parts of the race when you are struggling. Smiling might not make you feel better initially, but a spectator will notice and help bring you out of your funk :)
Post Race, it's easy to forget to refuel your body in the excitement of crossing the finish line, regardless of it's just another training day or your main race. Plan to have something ready to go in your tri bag that you can grab quick to get in your body within 20- 30 minutes of crossing the finish line. A ziploc with your favorite recovery powder. Peanut M&Ms (one of my friends fav treats for herself during an otherwise strict nutrition plan during training). Recovery bar. You want to make sure you get in carbs and protein. You can look up formulas on different sites as it all depends on size of athlete and length of race. But I usually figure if you can get in 200-400 calories within 20 minutes, and then have a balanced meal in the amount of time after the race that the race was long. Example, if you had a race that was 90 minutes, you have 90 minutes (+20 if you took in calories in 20 min) to have a balanced meal. So think ahead if you are far from home and how you will get that body re-fueled.
Quick easy recipe for Grab and Go Protein - Mini Egg Quiche
Ingredients:
12 eggs
Veggies (Onions, Peppers, Mushrooms, basically anything good in an omlete)
1/4 lb breakfast meat (bacon, gd chicken/chorizo/turkey)
Cheeese grated or chopped
You can use any combination of the above Veggies/Meat/Cheese. I have made all combinations and they are all good. I am dairy free, but DH is not, so sometimes I just toss cheese in 1/2 and bacon in the other half.
Turn oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin Tins with liners. I use these. If using meat, brown meat in skillet, or grab already cooked meat out of the fridge. [We always have left over bacon from the weekend that we use for sandwiches, so I just cut a few pieces of bacon up. Can cook veggies too, but I usually just toss the veggies in raw to save time.] Toss in veggies/meat/cheese to fill the liners 3/4 full. Don't worry the eggs will fit :) Whisk eggs pretty good. If you have the time (and energy to clean) use a hand mixer for 30-60 seconds on medium. Just helps with the pouring. Pour the eggs into a container that has a pour spout (if not already in one) and pour over the top of the veggie/meat/cheese mixture. Toss in the oven for 25 minutes. You'll know when they are done.
You can nuke for 30 sec if you wish, or eat cold (in a tortilla mmmmmm), or break into pieces and toss in a skillet.
Not everyone is doing more than one triathlon during a race season. And that's OK. One triathlon is an awesome goal and accomplishment. Those that are signed up for multiple races might be trying to focus in on being fast at the shorter races, and 'peak' for each race. Some might have a long distance race as their 'A' race, and are adding shorter races before to practice in race clothing, nutrition, hydration and transition. Each race adds to your race 'bank'. Each race should be looked at for lessons learned to take into future races, even if it's not your best race, ESPECIALLY if it's not your best race. Both DH and I have had our best Lessons in our worst races. A couple years ago, my seat post was not secure (manufactures defect that I didn't know about until after) and fell so I had to ride out of my saddle for about 15 miles of the first loop (total of 56 mile bike). I quit. I went to the parking lot to look for DH. I cashed it in. Fortunately DH was out on a run and I ran into a bike mechanic. He fixed my seat and tightened it as best he could. It got me almost thorugh the second loop and I finished the bike, and on to the run. My nephew had come to watch me that day - his first triathlon. I saw him in T2 and had the gumption to continue on to the long run. How could I quit after seeing him cheer me on? Recently DH had a flat on the ride, fixed it and finished the race. Had he not flatted he would have finished better in his age group than he ever had before. We both proved that we could overcome and conquer, even when we know we will not have our best time. In my case, that day, was still my best race, and my favorite race.
The triathlete that is successful in Planning, Executing and Reflecting on each race will grow as a triathlete and see progress as they continue in the sport. Planning not only includes your training plan, but also getting prepared the night before your race. Set up a transition area the night before. Grab your wetsuit (if you're wearing one), your race clothing, timing chip, cap and goggles and stand in front of your other gear. drop your wetsuit, cap and goggles and pick up what you'll need for the ride. You'll need shoes, and a helmet to race. Are you wearing sunglasses, sunscreen, socks, taking in nutrition/hydration? Do you have to wear your race number for the bike? Do you need your race number on your helmet or bike or both? Once you know you have everything you need for the bike leg of the race, set that down and grab your run race gear. You'll need shoes and a race number. sunglasses? Are you taking in nutrition or running with hydration? Make sure you have everything you need to race.
Makle sure you know WHAT you need in your transition area for your race. Know WHAT order you will pick it up and put in on (T1 or T2), as well as what order you will take it off or change it up in T2. Step through what you will do in T1 and T2 several times. When you are racing your mind gets foggy, so you can rely on your ability to think clearly and remember then - it must be a habit.
In order to Execute, it's a bit more then just showing up to the race. What is your goal for the race? Is this your "A" race and what all those hours of training were for? Is this a "C" race and you are trying out some different nutrition and hydration in a race scenario? Know what your goal is for the race (not always a time) and execute that to plan. Then take the time to Reflect on your race and any lessons your learned that day. Maybe it's as simple as trying to smile through parts of the race when you are struggling. Smiling might not make you feel better initially, but a spectator will notice and help bring you out of your funk :)
Post Race, it's easy to forget to refuel your body in the excitement of crossing the finish line, regardless of it's just another training day or your main race. Plan to have something ready to go in your tri bag that you can grab quick to get in your body within 20- 30 minutes of crossing the finish line. A ziploc with your favorite recovery powder. Peanut M&Ms (one of my friends fav treats for herself during an otherwise strict nutrition plan during training). Recovery bar. You want to make sure you get in carbs and protein. You can look up formulas on different sites as it all depends on size of athlete and length of race. But I usually figure if you can get in 200-400 calories within 20 minutes, and then have a balanced meal in the amount of time after the race that the race was long. Example, if you had a race that was 90 minutes, you have 90 minutes (+20 if you took in calories in 20 min) to have a balanced meal. So think ahead if you are far from home and how you will get that body re-fueled.
Quick easy recipe for Grab and Go Protein - Mini Egg Quiche
Ingredients:
12 eggs
Veggies (Onions, Peppers, Mushrooms, basically anything good in an omlete)
1/4 lb breakfast meat (bacon, gd chicken/chorizo/turkey)
Cheeese grated or chopped
You can use any combination of the above Veggies/Meat/Cheese. I have made all combinations and they are all good. I am dairy free, but DH is not, so sometimes I just toss cheese in 1/2 and bacon in the other half.
Turn oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin Tins with liners. I use these. If using meat, brown meat in skillet, or grab already cooked meat out of the fridge. [We always have left over bacon from the weekend that we use for sandwiches, so I just cut a few pieces of bacon up. Can cook veggies too, but I usually just toss the veggies in raw to save time.] Toss in veggies/meat/cheese to fill the liners 3/4 full. Don't worry the eggs will fit :) Whisk eggs pretty good. If you have the time (and energy to clean) use a hand mixer for 30-60 seconds on medium. Just helps with the pouring. Pour the eggs into a container that has a pour spout (if not already in one) and pour over the top of the veggie/meat/cheese mixture. Toss in the oven for 25 minutes. You'll know when they are done.
You can nuke for 30 sec if you wish, or eat cold (in a tortilla mmmmmm), or break into pieces and toss in a skillet.
ALMOST to the final stretch
Recovery Week [Week 12; 8 To Go]
The Elements [Week 13; 7 To Go]
2 Hour Ride Date Day [Week 14; 6 To Go]
Don't Lose Steam!! [Week 15; 5 To Go]
Another month in the books and just over a month to go!! This is the time of training that can be brutal, but rewarding. (The Build phase for those familiar with periodization) You are putting in some of the longest sessions in preparation for the race, and often they can be tough workouts. Recovery is key. Recover from each workout with proper fueling - both hydration and calories. Recover from each day with enough sleep (I need to heed my own advice). Recover from each week by using your rest days to REST. Recover each month with an active rest week where the hours drop and intensity of workout is low so you can go forth and conquer the next month. Recover, Recover, Recover!
A few weeks ago I had one of those hard workouts on a Sunday. A swim, bike, run brick. A brick session is where you have a workout of more than one discipline back to back. This not only helps train your body to go from the swim to the bike to the run, but also helps you realize what you need to complete a swift (or at least reduced stress) transition during the race. I prepared the day before with the proper food. I organized with DH, so he could cover watching T during my workout. I got everything ready the night before - my hydration, my nutrition, my clothing. Everything was ready to execute the next morning. I get to the lake to start my swim....It starts to rain......then it starts to thunder (I kept telling myself "that wasn't thunder" just keep swimming)....then I see lighteneing.....and after a shortened swim, I get out, go back to the car and go home. I hem and haw back and forth about letting the weather pass or getting a move on to my ride. And it starts to hail : So, I get out of my race gear [bricks are a great opportunity to practice in the clothing you expect to race in] and hang with DH and T until the storm passes. I headed out for my bike/run and had a great rest of my workout. Sometimes mother nature causes us to change course. Just roll with it. (DH is laughing that I'm giving that as advice because I'm terrible at just rolling with it - I'm trying to get better.) It ended up being a great morning with my family. Who cares that I ended my workout a few hours later than planned? What else did I really have to do that weekend day other than be a wife and mom?
The next weekend, I had another long brick of a run/ride/run. Fortunately my DH is also a triathlete, so talking him into a 'date ride' wasn't hard. So we enlisted our willing neighbor to watch T, and took off for our date. It was a beautiful morning and we got in 38 miles. Before we were a family with a child, we would do workouts together often. I forget how much I miss them until we get to have a long 2-hr ride together. I lose site of what triathlon has brought to our family. We are both more fit and healthy parents, and it helps bring out our naturally competitive spirit. DH is now a stronger rider than I am, so I do get a bit bent out of shape from time to time that he is surpassing me, and I used to kick his butt :) But it's all goodness and I need to remember how lucky I am to have someone who understands the committment and enjoys triathlon and racing as much as I do. It's a lot easier to get him up at 5 am when it'smy race day and DH has to get T ready and occupied for the entire event when he knows I'm going to do the same thing for him.
With weeks on end (neverending it seems sometimes when you are always lacking sleep and sanity) of tough, long workouts, it can be easy to want to cash it in. I am at that point as I write this post. I am not at my best, mentally or physically. I will not be at my best this season because all that work needs rest to recover well, and I'm just not getting it. You can't execute a tough workout when you are exhausted. But that doesn't mean you do nothing at all. You do the best you can that day. That being said, you don't want to be stupid and be so exhausted that you find yourself falling alseep driving with your precious cargo in the back (been there a few times - it's scary), you don't want to be unaware riding your bike and veer into traffic or not be able to keep your balance when a car drives past you close and fast. Those are the times when sleep is more important than working out. And to be honest, most times I'm working out, I probably should be resting, but I wanted to race this season so badly that I just can't give it up. I can't lose steam - not just yet. I accept my limitations this season and chalk it up to doing my best. OK, I'm TRYING to accept my limitations :) It's hard when I want to be a stronger triathlete but just don't have the 'oompf' I should.
But I AM SO MUCH MORE this season.
I am a MOM!
The Elements [Week 13; 7 To Go]
2 Hour Ride Date Day [Week 14; 6 To Go]
Don't Lose Steam!! [Week 15; 5 To Go]
Another month in the books and just over a month to go!! This is the time of training that can be brutal, but rewarding. (The Build phase for those familiar with periodization) You are putting in some of the longest sessions in preparation for the race, and often they can be tough workouts. Recovery is key. Recover from each workout with proper fueling - both hydration and calories. Recover from each day with enough sleep (I need to heed my own advice). Recover from each week by using your rest days to REST. Recover each month with an active rest week where the hours drop and intensity of workout is low so you can go forth and conquer the next month. Recover, Recover, Recover!
A few weeks ago I had one of those hard workouts on a Sunday. A swim, bike, run brick. A brick session is where you have a workout of more than one discipline back to back. This not only helps train your body to go from the swim to the bike to the run, but also helps you realize what you need to complete a swift (or at least reduced stress) transition during the race. I prepared the day before with the proper food. I organized with DH, so he could cover watching T during my workout. I got everything ready the night before - my hydration, my nutrition, my clothing. Everything was ready to execute the next morning. I get to the lake to start my swim....It starts to rain......then it starts to thunder (I kept telling myself "that wasn't thunder" just keep swimming)....then I see lighteneing.....and after a shortened swim, I get out, go back to the car and go home. I hem and haw back and forth about letting the weather pass or getting a move on to my ride. And it starts to hail : So, I get out of my race gear [bricks are a great opportunity to practice in the clothing you expect to race in] and hang with DH and T until the storm passes. I headed out for my bike/run and had a great rest of my workout. Sometimes mother nature causes us to change course. Just roll with it. (DH is laughing that I'm giving that as advice because I'm terrible at just rolling with it - I'm trying to get better.) It ended up being a great morning with my family. Who cares that I ended my workout a few hours later than planned? What else did I really have to do that weekend day other than be a wife and mom?
The next weekend, I had another long brick of a run/ride/run. Fortunately my DH is also a triathlete, so talking him into a 'date ride' wasn't hard. So we enlisted our willing neighbor to watch T, and took off for our date. It was a beautiful morning and we got in 38 miles. Before we were a family with a child, we would do workouts together often. I forget how much I miss them until we get to have a long 2-hr ride together. I lose site of what triathlon has brought to our family. We are both more fit and healthy parents, and it helps bring out our naturally competitive spirit. DH is now a stronger rider than I am, so I do get a bit bent out of shape from time to time that he is surpassing me, and I used to kick his butt :) But it's all goodness and I need to remember how lucky I am to have someone who understands the committment and enjoys triathlon and racing as much as I do. It's a lot easier to get him up at 5 am when it'smy race day and DH has to get T ready and occupied for the entire event when he knows I'm going to do the same thing for him.
With weeks on end (neverending it seems sometimes when you are always lacking sleep and sanity) of tough, long workouts, it can be easy to want to cash it in. I am at that point as I write this post. I am not at my best, mentally or physically. I will not be at my best this season because all that work needs rest to recover well, and I'm just not getting it. You can't execute a tough workout when you are exhausted. But that doesn't mean you do nothing at all. You do the best you can that day. That being said, you don't want to be stupid and be so exhausted that you find yourself falling alseep driving with your precious cargo in the back (been there a few times - it's scary), you don't want to be unaware riding your bike and veer into traffic or not be able to keep your balance when a car drives past you close and fast. Those are the times when sleep is more important than working out. And to be honest, most times I'm working out, I probably should be resting, but I wanted to race this season so badly that I just can't give it up. I can't lose steam - not just yet. I accept my limitations this season and chalk it up to doing my best. OK, I'm TRYING to accept my limitations :) It's hard when I want to be a stronger triathlete but just don't have the 'oompf' I should.
But I AM SO MUCH MORE this season.
I am a MOM!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Mama's got a brand new gear - another compilation
Swim Week and Race#2 [Week 8; 12 To Go]
Run Week [Week 9; 11 To Go]
Bike Week [Week 10; 10 To Go]
Recovery Week [Week 11; 9 To Go] (just started, but figured I'd get ahead of myself :)
And here we are again. Welcome to my catch-up blog :)
I know all you veteran Mom's understand - I just cannot find time each week to post my progress. So I'm promising one post a month - Then if I get to it more often it will feel like an extra bonus for my two readers out there.
I completed Race #2. It was another sprint distance, 1/2 mile swim, 15 mile bike, 3.1 mile run. It's a race I've done twice before, and a great 'family' race for us. Nonna came to help us out so both Mom and Dad could race. I ceremoniously nursed at a picnic table before pulling on the top of my wetsuit, and I was off. I have always struggled with my run on both long and short course races over the years. Short courses seem to mess with my tummy as I try to gear it up to run faster. Long courses start to mess with my tummy because I start the run too hard and end up running out of steam or have to stop because of cramping.
Last race season (2011) I ended the season with an Ironman and MANY lessons learned. One of those lessons learned was my body and caffeine don't like each other on race day - specifically on the run. This training season I have been very aware to skip the coffee on mornings that I have a run scheduled, and it seems to have worked well. I haven't had one 'episode' yet of tummy troubles - which used to bring me to my knees - needless to say I'm pleased.
Another plus is that my races have seen less tummy trouble as well. In fact, runs in both my races this year were at a blistering pace, (for me) and race #2, I was 3 minutes faster overall than I was two years ago!! Woo-Hoo!! At the start of both race runs I kept on telling myself to slow down.....not to get ahead of myself.....start out gradual.....and I just felt great so I kept on running at a fast pace. Race #2 during the run, I kept thinking back to T's birth, and the joy....and the pain...and I started pushing it thinking "slow down when you get to that level of pain", and of course, I never did :) So it seems that mama's found a brand new gear when it comes to her run and racing - somebody get me a cookie! :)
On the training side of things, I went through a month of my training plan where each week has a focus on either the swim, bike, or the run. I've done this training plan before and really enjoy it (Try Mom, Tri! Week 1 Post). The first week is a focus on the swim, so most of the training is in the pool, and the bike and run workouts are limited. The second week is a focus on the bike, and less time in the pool and on the run. And...you guessed it...The third week is a focus on the run, with less time in the pool and on the seat. It's nice to have a bit of a change each week. Even though I do periodization training (more on that to come in a following post), it can get pretty boring at times and it's nice to feel a big change during those three weeks because of the changed focus. I have to admit the bike week is a bit tough as you ride 5 days that week and a very long ride on Sunday...so the seat gets a bit sore...but it's all in a days work on building up that pain tolerance for more training and eventually race day. It's good for the mental toughness too :)
Now I'm on to a good old recovery week - Ah I love recovery weeks. So well deserved. So in need of a break. And it's nice to have an actual reward when you are working so hard. [If you consider more working out as a reward:) ] It's also a bit of a reality check that a rest week is a week where you only have 5 hours of working out. How cool is that?
OK, kiddo is sleeping, so I might just get in a chapter of an actual book!!!
Keep Tri-ing Mamas!
Run Week [Week 9; 11 To Go]
Bike Week [Week 10; 10 To Go]
Recovery Week [Week 11; 9 To Go] (just started, but figured I'd get ahead of myself :)
And here we are again. Welcome to my catch-up blog :)
I know all you veteran Mom's understand - I just cannot find time each week to post my progress. So I'm promising one post a month - Then if I get to it more often it will feel like an extra bonus for my two readers out there.
I completed Race #2. It was another sprint distance, 1/2 mile swim, 15 mile bike, 3.1 mile run. It's a race I've done twice before, and a great 'family' race for us. Nonna came to help us out so both Mom and Dad could race. I ceremoniously nursed at a picnic table before pulling on the top of my wetsuit, and I was off. I have always struggled with my run on both long and short course races over the years. Short courses seem to mess with my tummy as I try to gear it up to run faster. Long courses start to mess with my tummy because I start the run too hard and end up running out of steam or have to stop because of cramping.
Last race season (2011) I ended the season with an Ironman and MANY lessons learned. One of those lessons learned was my body and caffeine don't like each other on race day - specifically on the run. This training season I have been very aware to skip the coffee on mornings that I have a run scheduled, and it seems to have worked well. I haven't had one 'episode' yet of tummy troubles - which used to bring me to my knees - needless to say I'm pleased.
Another plus is that my races have seen less tummy trouble as well. In fact, runs in both my races this year were at a blistering pace, (for me) and race #2, I was 3 minutes faster overall than I was two years ago!! Woo-Hoo!! At the start of both race runs I kept on telling myself to slow down.....not to get ahead of myself.....start out gradual.....and I just felt great so I kept on running at a fast pace. Race #2 during the run, I kept thinking back to T's birth, and the joy....and the pain...and I started pushing it thinking "slow down when you get to that level of pain", and of course, I never did :) So it seems that mama's found a brand new gear when it comes to her run and racing - somebody get me a cookie! :)
On the training side of things, I went through a month of my training plan where each week has a focus on either the swim, bike, or the run. I've done this training plan before and really enjoy it (Try Mom, Tri! Week 1 Post). The first week is a focus on the swim, so most of the training is in the pool, and the bike and run workouts are limited. The second week is a focus on the bike, and less time in the pool and on the run. And...you guessed it...The third week is a focus on the run, with less time in the pool and on the seat. It's nice to have a bit of a change each week. Even though I do periodization training (more on that to come in a following post), it can get pretty boring at times and it's nice to feel a big change during those three weeks because of the changed focus. I have to admit the bike week is a bit tough as you ride 5 days that week and a very long ride on Sunday...so the seat gets a bit sore...but it's all in a days work on building up that pain tolerance for more training and eventually race day. It's good for the mental toughness too :)
Now I'm on to a good old recovery week - Ah I love recovery weeks. So well deserved. So in need of a break. And it's nice to have an actual reward when you are working so hard. [If you consider more working out as a reward:) ] It's also a bit of a reality check that a rest week is a week where you only have 5 hours of working out. How cool is that?
OK, kiddo is sleeping, so I might just get in a chapter of an actual book!!!
Keep Tri-ing Mamas!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Life's Deck of Cards - And Lessons Along the Way
Gearing [Week 4; 16 To Go]
Race Week [Week 5; 15 To Go]
Speed Bumps [Week 6; 14 To Go]
Recovery Weeks [Week 7; 13 To Go]
The above are titles to posts that I have started in the last 3 weeks.....and haven't finished..obviously. Here is my attempt to catch up and hopefully you can see the messages I was looking to get across in each of those posts.
After a pretty long/tough winter in these here northern parts, I finally get outside for some bike rides, and I'm s-l-ooooo-wwwww. Or at least I feel slow - I still don't have my computer on my bike to tell me cadence, mph, etc... And even worse, the hills I used to fly up with little effort made my quads burn even in the easiest gear. One of the most important things to being an efficient biker, and even more important for triathletes hopping off their bike to start the run, is gearing when you ride, specifically on hills. You don't want your cadence to drop so much that you burn out your legs, but you don't want to gear too easy too early and spend too much time climbing, easy spinning or not. If you know your course you have an advantage to knowing how tough the upcoming hills are before you are actually on it and can execute the perfect gearing plan throughout the climb. But how often do we know, especially in a race, what that hill in front of us is really like until we're in the middle of it?
We recently received news of very close family members in a serious accident. They are alive and recovering every day. It's the kind of call you dread. It's a life changer certainly for those injured - and even for those who know and love them as well. How do we all react to this unexpected hill in front of us? Even if we gear poorly in the beginning, to the point that we have to get off our bike because it's too hard to pedal, we can walk our bike to the top, hop back on, and coast down with that glorious free speed.
I came back from my trip visiting family pretty wiped, and my first race was less than a week away. I plugged through my workouts as best I could. Dusted off my wetsuit (literally, after I found it hidden in the depths of the basement). Assembled my race gear the night before and hoped for the best.
It was awesome :)
I pumped in the car on the way to the race. We temporarily parked while I set up my transition area. Dad hung with T till I returned. (parking lot was about 3/4 miles away). I hung with T until Dad parked and returned. I nursed at a picnic table just before I zipped up my wetsuit and hopped in the water. And I was OFF! Dad did an awesome job getting to spots where I would see them, and finishing with my 5 mo old son as my trophy was beyond joy. Moms......you can do this!
Dads you can too :) One Dad I know....had a bit of a setback last week with a back injury. After a few days of significant pain, he was pretty worried that it might be something serious. At 'our age' when you have back pain, it's easy to think the worst as we know so many folks who have back problems that affect their daily life. Short of the long, he's much better. After a visit to the chiro and some rest, he's bummed about the lack of fitness that happened that week, but he's in less pain, which is a win in my book. He's has a planned race this weekend as well. Go Dad!
How do we approach plans that we aren't as prepared for as we would like? How do we answer that call to ourselves? Do we just not show up because we aren't as prepared as we planned and we won't have as fast of a race? Do we show up with excuses and a bad attitude? Do we remember the back pain and feel thankful that we actually can race and the season isn't scrapped? Do we look at that lack of exercise as rest, feel rested for the race, and set an example for our kids to at least try?
Never give up, even when you fall so far behind it feels like you might as well give up because it isn't turning out like you planned and there's no way you can fulfill your initial goals. Case in point - This Blog. I had grand aspirations of posting this blog once a week. When I finally started I thought "how hard can it be to find an hour each week to get my thoughts out in a blog?" Turns out - pretty hard. And this morning on our walk I thought, "this isn't what I planned, this isn't what I wanted, this will never be what I had envisioned because I'm already behind. Why don't I just quit and I'll do it when I have more time?" Because I'll never have more time. I'll never know what card will come up next - so I'm going to do the best I can today.
DH always says "Win the Day!" And we struggle....every day....to live that - BUT WE TRY - and that's something.
Race Week [Week 5; 15 To Go]
Speed Bumps [Week 6; 14 To Go]
Recovery Weeks [Week 7; 13 To Go]
The above are titles to posts that I have started in the last 3 weeks.....and haven't finished..obviously. Here is my attempt to catch up and hopefully you can see the messages I was looking to get across in each of those posts.
After a pretty long/tough winter in these here northern parts, I finally get outside for some bike rides, and I'm s-l-ooooo-wwwww. Or at least I feel slow - I still don't have my computer on my bike to tell me cadence, mph, etc... And even worse, the hills I used to fly up with little effort made my quads burn even in the easiest gear. One of the most important things to being an efficient biker, and even more important for triathletes hopping off their bike to start the run, is gearing when you ride, specifically on hills. You don't want your cadence to drop so much that you burn out your legs, but you don't want to gear too easy too early and spend too much time climbing, easy spinning or not. If you know your course you have an advantage to knowing how tough the upcoming hills are before you are actually on it and can execute the perfect gearing plan throughout the climb. But how often do we know, especially in a race, what that hill in front of us is really like until we're in the middle of it?
We recently received news of very close family members in a serious accident. They are alive and recovering every day. It's the kind of call you dread. It's a life changer certainly for those injured - and even for those who know and love them as well. How do we all react to this unexpected hill in front of us? Even if we gear poorly in the beginning, to the point that we have to get off our bike because it's too hard to pedal, we can walk our bike to the top, hop back on, and coast down with that glorious free speed.
I came back from my trip visiting family pretty wiped, and my first race was less than a week away. I plugged through my workouts as best I could. Dusted off my wetsuit (literally, after I found it hidden in the depths of the basement). Assembled my race gear the night before and hoped for the best.
It was awesome :)
I pumped in the car on the way to the race. We temporarily parked while I set up my transition area. Dad hung with T till I returned. (parking lot was about 3/4 miles away). I hung with T until Dad parked and returned. I nursed at a picnic table just before I zipped up my wetsuit and hopped in the water. And I was OFF! Dad did an awesome job getting to spots where I would see them, and finishing with my 5 mo old son as my trophy was beyond joy. Moms......you can do this!
Dads you can too :) One Dad I know....had a bit of a setback last week with a back injury. After a few days of significant pain, he was pretty worried that it might be something serious. At 'our age' when you have back pain, it's easy to think the worst as we know so many folks who have back problems that affect their daily life. Short of the long, he's much better. After a visit to the chiro and some rest, he's bummed about the lack of fitness that happened that week, but he's in less pain, which is a win in my book. He's has a planned race this weekend as well. Go Dad!
How do we approach plans that we aren't as prepared for as we would like? How do we answer that call to ourselves? Do we just not show up because we aren't as prepared as we planned and we won't have as fast of a race? Do we show up with excuses and a bad attitude? Do we remember the back pain and feel thankful that we actually can race and the season isn't scrapped? Do we look at that lack of exercise as rest, feel rested for the race, and set an example for our kids to at least try?
Never give up, even when you fall so far behind it feels like you might as well give up because it isn't turning out like you planned and there's no way you can fulfill your initial goals. Case in point - This Blog. I had grand aspirations of posting this blog once a week. When I finally started I thought "how hard can it be to find an hour each week to get my thoughts out in a blog?" Turns out - pretty hard. And this morning on our walk I thought, "this isn't what I planned, this isn't what I wanted, this will never be what I had envisioned because I'm already behind. Why don't I just quit and I'll do it when I have more time?" Because I'll never have more time. I'll never know what card will come up next - so I'm going to do the best I can today.
DH always says "Win the Day!" And we struggle....every day....to live that - BUT WE TRY - and that's something.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Showing Up [Week 3; 17 To Go]
OK so we get back from Florida - almost through 'the sickness' that had us down for nearly two weeks - at 90% and ready to kick out some workouts! I skipped Monday, of course, and took Tuesday as a 'day off', but cranked through the rest of the week with some success.
This week I started 'strides' or 'pick-ups' in my run workouts. This is a great example of every workout having a purpose. Strides are introduced into workouts for a specific purpose - speed. I do them for bike and swim workouts as well. Basically, after a good warm-up (10-20 minutes depending on the total length of your workout), you pick-up your run pace over 20 seconds so that you are going 'cheetah' fast by second 19/20. Returning to a run pace effort of a 2 - 4 on a scale of 10. Repeat this about every 5 minutes until your workout is done, using that last 5 minutes as your cool down. What this allows you to do is to FEEL what it is like to run fast without putting too much stress on your body.
As the periodization of training continues, there is LOTS of time to get in tempo workouts where there is an extended period (10-60 minutes) of high effort work. These are HARD DAYS that you need rest before and after to get the biggest bang for your buck. Picking up for short 20 second strides allows that 'interval' to occur without having to 'break the bank' so to speak with your workouts.
So enough about training, Sunday was Mothers Day - how awesome is that?!?!?!! I woke up to flowers and a card at the kitchen table and little T and I read 'Dad's' eloquent Mother's Day Ode to Moi outloud together. A wonderful breakfast was made by DH. We went for a beautiful drive to WI. I got to go for an hour spin outside on my tri bike that I hadn't been on in a year and a half. (ouch!) And I returned to dinner in the oven and a glass of wine calling out my name.
To my two favorite men in my life. You both made being a Mom possible :) And you both help me be the best triathlete and Mom I can be. It's not about crossing the finish line - it's about showing up at the starting line. I love you.
This week I started 'strides' or 'pick-ups' in my run workouts. This is a great example of every workout having a purpose. Strides are introduced into workouts for a specific purpose - speed. I do them for bike and swim workouts as well. Basically, after a good warm-up (10-20 minutes depending on the total length of your workout), you pick-up your run pace over 20 seconds so that you are going 'cheetah' fast by second 19/20. Returning to a run pace effort of a 2 - 4 on a scale of 10. Repeat this about every 5 minutes until your workout is done, using that last 5 minutes as your cool down. What this allows you to do is to FEEL what it is like to run fast without putting too much stress on your body.
As the periodization of training continues, there is LOTS of time to get in tempo workouts where there is an extended period (10-60 minutes) of high effort work. These are HARD DAYS that you need rest before and after to get the biggest bang for your buck. Picking up for short 20 second strides allows that 'interval' to occur without having to 'break the bank' so to speak with your workouts.
So enough about training, Sunday was Mothers Day - how awesome is that?!?!?!! I woke up to flowers and a card at the kitchen table and little T and I read 'Dad's' eloquent Mother's Day Ode to Moi outloud together. A wonderful breakfast was made by DH. We went for a beautiful drive to WI. I got to go for an hour spin outside on my tri bike that I hadn't been on in a year and a half. (ouch!) And I returned to dinner in the oven and a glass of wine calling out my name.
To my two favorite men in my life. You both made being a Mom possible :) And you both help me be the best triathlete and Mom I can be. It's not about crossing the finish line - it's about showing up at the starting line. I love you.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Spring Colds :( [Week 2; 18 To Go]
Week One Complete…..And then I woke up with a sore throat on Monday……
Tuesday I couldn’t breathe out of my nose, Wednesday DH had to fly
out of town for work till Thursday morning and Friday we had plans to fly to
Florida to see Nonna and Pup. Surely I
would be better by the end of the week; I just needed to make it to Friday.
I asked DH to stay home from work on Tuesday so I could have some
help and get some work done since Monday was a wash. I took Wednesday off in order for sick kiddo
and I to try to get better. And we’re
talking about work here – not working out…I tried to work out on Monday and
then….took the rest of the week off. I
wasn’t going to accomplish anything by working out when I was so sick and tired. If I had any extra time I needed to get some
sleep and REST.
So after a great Week 1: Got my bike tuned up, made it to the pool
several times, got outside for a ride (It was still snowing here in May, so
getting outside for a ride was a big deal), the scale was my friend every time
I stepped on it – and….. I was at a standstill with my training.
For the average triathlete, who is getting normal rest (7-9 hours
each night), I might not say it is necessary to rest when you are sick. Sometimes getting your heart rate up and your
body temperature elevated is just what your body needs to kick the germs in the
butt that are making you feel lousy. But
in my case, and in any new Mom’s or tired Mom’s case (is there any other kind
of Mom?), I say rest when you are sick.
If you just HAVE TO go to the gym, get in the sauna or the steam room. It
will help elevate your temp to kill off the nasties in your body and your
sinuses will feel normal for a few minutes.
So we left for Florida on Friday afternoon - Sick Mom, Dad and
Kiddo – soooo nervous to fly with a 4 month old with a stuffed up nose……and he
couldn’t have done better. I was one very relieved mama. Goal
for the trip was to get well and return home with everyone healthy – which happened
for the most part. We weren’t 100% , but
we were all definitely on the mend when we left sunny Florida.
Returned home on Tuesday late night ready to get back on the training
wagon after more than a full week with no workouts…On to Week Three!!
Friday, May 10, 2013
On easy days, GO EASY [Week 1; 19 To Go]
OK, so it's been a while since I've posted and as you read the next three posts (as I try to catch up), you'll understand why.
So....two and a half weeks ago......I officially started my triathlon training for a half ironman distance race in early September. I had a plan to lead me to awesomeness. DH agreed to watch T in the mornings that I needed to get a swim in or any morning workout. I would try to schedule my two-a-day workout days when the nanny was here (Two days a week) so I could get everything in by the time DH got home from work. And DH would get his workouts in when he got home from work. We would eat dinner when he was done and T and I would go to bed soon after. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Goal for week one was simply to get it all in – total of 7 hours for the week to include one day off. And for the most part I did that. Only had to miss one swim, but it was on a two-a-day, so I still worked out that day. What I didn’t factor in, and something you all would figure I knew by now with a 4+ month old, is that EVERYTHING just takes longer now. When I got up in the wee hours of the morning to get DH to begin the duty transfer, I still had to get dressed, pump, and get out the door. What used to take me less than 10 minutes to get ready for the gym in the morning, now took me close to an hour. Imagine thatJ
The training that I’m following is a plan on www.beginnertriathlete.com – the only free half ironman distance training plan available. I did have to start adjusting the schedule of the workouts as the scheduled day off is Saturday for the first few weeks. Weekends are the easiest time for me to get workouts in because DH is home to help out, so I moved the day off to a weekday. Now, I’ve been training long enough that I’m pretty comfortable knowing how to move workouts around, but many people struggle (DH is one), knowing how to move workouts to best increase their fitness.
There truly is a method to the madness when coaches create training plans. You want to make sure you aren’t too fatigued when there are tough workouts to get done. I like to remind myself “On easy days, go EASY. On hard days, go HARD”. When I’m rearranging my workouts to better fit my schedule I break up the workouts into easy and hard, and then alternate those workouts. We’ll talk in depth about the importance of rest in a future post, but the short of the long is to remember that easy workouts are a type of ‘active rest’. Difficult workouts (from a triathlon training perspective) are placed in training to increase fitness and speed. If you aren’t rested for those workouts, then you’re basically just burning calories. EVERY workout has a purpose. Know what that purpose is and keep it in mind as you are training each work out.
Week One Complete…..And then I woke up with a sore throat on Monday……
Friday, April 12, 2013
Rest and Recovery
Although I hadn't officially started my tri training for my half ironman distance race in September, I was definitely getting back into the work-out groove post baby......until two weeks ago......
I was downstairs on the bike (we have a bike 'trainer' that allows us to turn our road bikes into stationary bikes), feeling pretty good, and decided to crank it up a notch and do some hill climbs. I hadn't been challenging myself very much on the bike - mainly because I get stupid bored riding a stationary bike and end up just watching TV while I lazily circle my feet around - so I figured now is the time.....and the next morning I woke up with what seemed like a hip injury. But the pain didn't seem too bad and actually lessened as I warmed up through my next run. I stretched really well and just continued to workout through the weekend thinking the pain would just go away.
....Then I went to the chiropractor......
My chiropractor is very muscle oriented and isn't what I would consider a 'back cracker'. She is very focused on not only correcting the alignment, but what is causing the misalignment, and uses muscle testing to find muscles that aren't firing and works on those as the fix. Well she found that both attachment sites of one of my hamstring muscles were 'narly', and after maxing my pain threshold while trying to massage it to release, it was sore, but better. Great right? not....Unfortunately it's not a one-and-done fix, I had some homework to do and knew I had to continue to massage those two attachment sites if I was going to heal and be ready to train.
All that kinesiology aside.....there was something underneath all this that got me to this point....and she found that too. I was TIRED. Not the "I didn't get enough sleep last night" tired, the "I haven't slept more than 3 hours at a time for 14 weeks" tired. While that isn't totally true (My husband treats me to 6-hour nights each week so I can get an extended amount of sleep), it is for the most part and I was exhausted. She found my adrenals (associated with stress) were suffering and gave me a vitamin B supplement (in addition to the Vitamin Bs I already take) to help me get back up an running. [muscle testing is a topic for another post - but it has been an amazing tool for me with my chiropractor - I highly recommend it)
And I've been on a work-out break ever since.
During my training for Ironman WI two seasons ago, I became very intimate with the idea of rest and recovery. When you are training at the volume I was, you HAVE TO rest your body - and you're mind. It's just too much stress on your body to not get rest. I was a very early to bed triathlete that season, and when I had a day of no training, I truly took that day off and rested as much of the day as possible. And guess what? I was injury free over 6 months of training that included 30+ hours / week of training. For anyone who has ever trained for anything that long - you understand - that's pretty awesome. Why is this part of my life any different? I'm training for the Best Mom I can Be race for the next 18 years!!! Even though you "never stop being a mother" - right Mom? :)
When we get injured, it's our body's way of telling us 'something'. In my case it was my body being too tired and stressed out from being a new mom of a not-so-easy baby to handle the volume of exercise I was trying to make it do. And guess what, even though I haven't been working out, I still lost my 1 lb last week and I'm on track to lose another 1.5 this week. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely ready to get back into my workouts, (I need them more mentally than I do physically I think), but it was nice to treat my body to some rest. I'm not sure I actually got any more sleep, but it was definitely nice not to have to try to find time to work out, or cram it in after Dad got home and before we ate dinner, or feel bad going to bed without a workout in for the day. And I truly believe that a stressed out body is just not going to perform the way you want it to; whether you're trying to train to race, or simply lose a couple pounds.
One of my great friends is the renown Mrs. Fatass. She had a post this week that really got me thinking about my attitude towards me. (http://mrsfatass.com/2013/04/nothing-special.html ) Now I have never been someone who easily sees how fabulous I am.....but I need to start working in that direction. Because I am an amazing Mom AND Wife AND Daughter AND Sister AND Triathlete AND AND AND. I try the best in everything that I do, and rarely do I leave any stone unturned. It is so easy for us to be critical of ourselves and find our shortfalls. But what about all the amazing things we do every day? If I need to take two weeks off to slow down and recharge and spend more time smiling at my handsome son and less time in my running shoes - then that's what I need to do. And it's the right thing to do. And I don't need to beat myself up about it. I am measured by my own bar - and no one else's -
I......am someone very special. And so are you!
Friday, March 29, 2013
81 days of 'pull up' pants.....for Mom
When you're pregnant, as your belly grows, so does the excitement......and the level of discomfort.....so you wear a lot of stretchy clothing. We wear tops that have gathers in the front to allow for our beautiful bellies, and pants - whether they come up over your belly or are just elastic - that you pull up. Oh how I longed to put on pants that had a zipper and a button, and I thought surely after my beautiful son was born, it wouldn't be too long.....
Well it was 81 days before I had the guts to wear my loose pre-preganancy jeans out in public. It wasn't pretty (I wore a loose fitting pregnancy shirt so you couldn't really see my middle :) ) and it wasn't comfortable - but I put on my pants, just like everyone else, one leg at a time, and I ZIPPED and BUTTONed them!
Truth be told, I wear yoga pants all day, every day, unless I'm heading out of the house to go somewhere. I work from home, so stretchy clothing is still very much the norm. And I have only worn my non pregnancy wear a few times. I wear T most everywhere I go, so when I have the pack high around my waist, my tummy hangs over the top of those pants too much for my liking. So pull-up pants it is, until summer when I can wear my running shorts all day :)
OK, so some tri stuff, since that's what this blog is supposed to be about right?!?!!
I officially signed up for my A race last weekend. So, it's official, I am doing a Half Ironman distance triathlon September 7th, 600 miles away in my home state of MI. Still haven't figured out the logistics of how it will work with me, T, and all my tri gear - to include a bike on the car :) but that's all part of the journey right? Along with my A race - I knew I wanted to do other races to get me back into the swing of things so I also signed up for 4 other races.
Sprint Triathlon June 1st
Sprint Triathlon June 15th (Dad is doing that race too so that will be a blast!!)
Olympic Triathlon Aug 18th
Half Ironman (70.3 distance) Sept 7th
A very important aspect of triathlon racing is planning. It probably seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how many tri seasons have been less than optimal, simply, because of lack of planning. So if you're thinking of doing your first tri or a veteran racer, now is the time to make sure your race schedule is solid. Some things to think about when planning your race schedule:
[A quick muffin recipe I've been making each week for quick/easy snacks]
EZ Banana - Quinoa Muffins (Wheat Free/Dairy Free) -makes 12
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/2 cup quinoa flakes (find in hot breakfast cereal section)
2 Tbsp Honey
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 very ripe bananas (sometimes I add frozen blueberries if bananas aren't super ripe)
2 eggs (swap for vegan option and recipe is vegan too)
Set oven to 400 degrees. Grease (I spray with olive oil) muffin pan. Mix bananas, eggs and honey. Add dry ingredients. Mix. Pour into pan. Bake 20-25 min.
Not everyone has quinoa flour/flakes in their cupboard - you could use any combination of 'dry' flour to make a cup if not gluten sensitive.
Well it was 81 days before I had the guts to wear my loose pre-preganancy jeans out in public. It wasn't pretty (I wore a loose fitting pregnancy shirt so you couldn't really see my middle :) ) and it wasn't comfortable - but I put on my pants, just like everyone else, one leg at a time, and I ZIPPED and BUTTONed them!
Truth be told, I wear yoga pants all day, every day, unless I'm heading out of the house to go somewhere. I work from home, so stretchy clothing is still very much the norm. And I have only worn my non pregnancy wear a few times. I wear T most everywhere I go, so when I have the pack high around my waist, my tummy hangs over the top of those pants too much for my liking. So pull-up pants it is, until summer when I can wear my running shorts all day :)
OK, so some tri stuff, since that's what this blog is supposed to be about right?!?!!
I officially signed up for my A race last weekend. So, it's official, I am doing a Half Ironman distance triathlon September 7th, 600 miles away in my home state of MI. Still haven't figured out the logistics of how it will work with me, T, and all my tri gear - to include a bike on the car :) but that's all part of the journey right? Along with my A race - I knew I wanted to do other races to get me back into the swing of things so I also signed up for 4 other races.
Sprint Triathlon June 1st
Sprint Triathlon June 15th (Dad is doing that race too so that will be a blast!!)
Olympic Triathlon Aug 18th
Half Ironman (70.3 distance) Sept 7th
A very important aspect of triathlon racing is planning. It probably seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how many tri seasons have been less than optimal, simply, because of lack of planning. So if you're thinking of doing your first tri or a veteran racer, now is the time to make sure your race schedule is solid. Some things to think about when planning your race schedule:
- Races make sense in coordination with your A race (later post regarding B and C races) - You want to make sure you have races for trial and error, but you don't want to burn yourself out before your big race.
- Races still have registration space available - Some races are very popular and sell out quickly. Make sure the races you want to do are still available.
- Logistics of getting to the race are doable - Going to a race in Cabo in Feb sounds like a great idea ( at least for those of us who live where there is still snow/ice on the ground), but how will you get you and your gear there? And don't forget - that could be a LOT of training indoors before your big race - that's not necessarily bad - but something to think about. As fun as destination races are, choosing races close to home are fun too as you tend to see familiar faces, you might have a larger cheering section, and it's a little less stress on race morning.
- Does the time frame and time commitment of our training make sense with the rest of what's going on in your life? - For all races less than an Ironman (IM) distance, I plan for a 20 week training plan. That doesn't mean that the other 32 weeks of the year you eat donuts and watch *MASH* re-runs, off-season and prep is also a very important time in your training, but it is a time to be focused on the very specific race goals. For Ironman races I plan for a 24 week training plan. The main reason for the difference is that 6 months is necessary for IM training, because of the increased distance, but it is also a VERY LONG time to have to be focused - and too long, IMO, when training for distances less than IM. So you need to ask yourself what is going on in your life during that training period? Are you able to designate time for tri training to be a priority? That doesn't mean that you can't take a summer vacation with the family, but make sure you allow for time to train during that vacation :)
Some of you may already be into your tri training depending on when your big race is - fantastic! Some of you may be planning on doing only one race - great! (I'll make sure to cover how to practice race like scenarios if you're only doing one race, in a following post - if I forget - remind me!!) I still have a few more weeks to work on off-season goals and prep work - basically losing as much baby weight as I can!
If you don't have any idea what a training plan would look like - http://www.beginnertriathlete.com is a great source - and they have free bike/run/tri training plans for all distances.
One more note: I tried on (what I plan to be) my race top/shorts....shorts are OK...tri top not so much...I have a little extra on-top this season, so we might have to go with an added bra under the tri top and a loose fitting shirt over the for the bike and the run. It goes back to planning, planning, planning. I realize my body will continue to change over the course of the next few months, but it's good to know that I have a plan for my race gear, and I can get work-outs in them now to make sure they're comfortable. Nothing worse than ill fitting gear on race day.
[A quick muffin recipe I've been making each week for quick/easy snacks]
EZ Banana - Quinoa Muffins (Wheat Free/Dairy Free) -makes 12
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/2 cup quinoa flakes (find in hot breakfast cereal section)
2 Tbsp Honey
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 very ripe bananas (sometimes I add frozen blueberries if bananas aren't super ripe)
2 eggs (swap for vegan option and recipe is vegan too)
Set oven to 400 degrees. Grease (I spray with olive oil) muffin pan. Mix bananas, eggs and honey. Add dry ingredients. Mix. Pour into pan. Bake 20-25 min.
Not everyone has quinoa flour/flakes in their cupboard - you could use any combination of 'dry' flour to make a cup if not gluten sensitive.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Before and After
Before and After pictures are usually the 'before' I lost the weight to 'after'....but I thought it fitting to post my 'before' pregnancy and the morning of my sons birth - the height of my weight (around 50 lbs difference).....so without further ado....as requested...pictures of my proudest accomplishments :)
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Livin North of the 37th Parallel
I know not everyone lives in a northern, arctic climate like us, but if you do, you know how tough it is to enjoy this time of year. I love winter with the best of 'em; snugly clothes, fireplaces, beautiful snow; it's all great- but this winter I find myself saying 'Enough Already!!' quite a bit.
Having a winter baby has it's pluses and minuses. T's going to be a blast this summer, hanging out in the pool, going out for runs and rides together - it will be awesome. But when he was born in December? Not so much. Can't really take him out for a stroll in 20 below weather, or icy conditions. So just after he was born I was relegated to walks - alone - around the block weeks 2-6. We have a treadmill in the basement where I very well could have walked my 3/4 miles, but at the point it wasn't about the exercise. It's about that precious fresh air, and Vitamin D ....or so I thought.
You see, when you live above 37 degrees latitude, because of the curvature of the earth, you don't get the precious UVB rays that help our bodies make the Vitamin D that is so good for us physically and emotionally.
Who cares if you don't get any vitamin D -- Take a supplement. [I take 10 - 20K IUs, no kidding. Buy them in the 5 or 10K IU amount so you don't have to take 20 little pills.]
Who cares if it's cold outside -- Dress appropriately. [If you don't have technical clothing that allows you to exercise outside in the winter months, I highly recommend spending the duckets to get some. I have one outside 'outfit'. Thicker running pants that I wear at 20 above and 20 below, 2-3 different weight tops that I sometimes wear all at once if it's cold enough, and a good hat that will let me sweat, iow - not cotton. They're still a bit tight and hug me in all the wrong places, but they get me outside. I wash them once a week (usually :) ) and last week I headed to my running group in some very funkified clothing - we ran outside - no one could smell me - and if they could, I promise you they were more happy that I simply showed up then what I smelled like. By the end of the run we were all sweaty and stinky.]
Who cares if it's icy -- Tread carefully. If you want to go for a run and have a bit of extra traction, get some Yaktrax. It's like having little gripdeedoos on your feet. [Yaktrax] And if it's warm enough for the snow to turn into puddles on your path - run through it - get a soaker - you're feet will warm up if you keep on moving.
I went on a run today in the non-vitamin D providing sun and imagined that I was a ginormous sun sponge and even though I started off the run thinking I would rather be napping, I sucked up energy from the sun and even ran an extra 5 minutes for good measure.
So, suck it Winter - I declare Spring!
Having a winter baby has it's pluses and minuses. T's going to be a blast this summer, hanging out in the pool, going out for runs and rides together - it will be awesome. But when he was born in December? Not so much. Can't really take him out for a stroll in 20 below weather, or icy conditions. So just after he was born I was relegated to walks - alone - around the block weeks 2-6. We have a treadmill in the basement where I very well could have walked my 3/4 miles, but at the point it wasn't about the exercise. It's about that precious fresh air, and Vitamin D ....or so I thought.
You see, when you live above 37 degrees latitude, because of the curvature of the earth, you don't get the precious UVB rays that help our bodies make the Vitamin D that is so good for us physically and emotionally.
"Except during the summer months, the skin makes little if any vitamin D from the sun at latitudes above 37 degrees north (in the United States, the shaded region in the map) or below 37 degrees south of the equator. People who live in these areas are at relatively greater risk for vitamin D deficiency." [Source Article]
Regardless of where you live, and especially if you live north of the 37th parallel - GET OUTSIDE!
Who cares if you don't get any vitamin D -- Take a supplement. [I take 10 - 20K IUs, no kidding. Buy them in the 5 or 10K IU amount so you don't have to take 20 little pills.]
Who cares if it's cold outside -- Dress appropriately. [If you don't have technical clothing that allows you to exercise outside in the winter months, I highly recommend spending the duckets to get some. I have one outside 'outfit'. Thicker running pants that I wear at 20 above and 20 below, 2-3 different weight tops that I sometimes wear all at once if it's cold enough, and a good hat that will let me sweat, iow - not cotton. They're still a bit tight and hug me in all the wrong places, but they get me outside. I wash them once a week (usually :) ) and last week I headed to my running group in some very funkified clothing - we ran outside - no one could smell me - and if they could, I promise you they were more happy that I simply showed up then what I smelled like. By the end of the run we were all sweaty and stinky.]
Who cares if it's icy -- Tread carefully. If you want to go for a run and have a bit of extra traction, get some Yaktrax. It's like having little gripdeedoos on your feet. [Yaktrax] And if it's warm enough for the snow to turn into puddles on your path - run through it - get a soaker - you're feet will warm up if you keep on moving.
I went on a run today in the non-vitamin D providing sun and imagined that I was a ginormous sun sponge and even though I started off the run thinking I would rather be napping, I sucked up energy from the sun and even ran an extra 5 minutes for good measure.
So, suck it Winter - I declare Spring!
Monday, March 11, 2013
Pre, During and Post....Pregnancy that is
Before I was pregnant I had been training for a Ironman distance triathlon and in the best shape of my life. Fast forward 14 months later and I'm trying to lose enough weight to simply button (not fit into) my 'loose' pre-pregancy jeans. Don't get me wrong, my little guy is worth every pound gained, but it's still hard. Finding time, energy, will...it's all at a minimum, and it keeps exercise at the end of a very long to-do list, of which at the very tippy top is SLEEP.
I got pregnant soon after my last race in 2011, but it was not meant to be as we had a miscarriage a few months in. I had still been swimming, biking, running, lifting through that time, but as anyone who has ever been pregnant can tell you, that first tri-mester you are tired, tired, tired. So I put on a few lbs before getting pregnant with T. Then when I got re-pregnant, I went through that lovely tired first trimester again, but I kept swimming, biking, and running as my energy allowed. I will admit that watching my weight crawl towards (and past) some unseen numbers, got scary at times, but I knew I was eating and working out in a healthy way, so I just let the numbers crawl.
As my belly grew, running became more difficult as my round ligament would be painful enough to set me into a walk. I saw a chiropractor on a regular basis throughout my pregnancy which helped me extend my running, but eventually, my run/walks turned into walks. I stopped being able to reach the handlebars on my bike (We have a 'trainer' set up in the basement to allow us to ride our bikes 'stationary'), so biking slowly ebbed out of the training cycle as well. So I swam, swam and swam some more. I loved it. I felt 'normal'. I even rolled out of bed (literally some days) before work to get to the pool so I could get my swim in. I became quite popular as folks started recognizing me as the very pregnant woman at the pool and folks kept teasing that one morning I was going to go into labor in the pool! (We did have a water birth, but not at the gym pool :) )
I realized that my pregnant belly wasn't going to go away overnight, but I was a bit surprised at how pregnant I still looked after he was born. I figured after two weeks, I would be closer to 'normal' and I would kick it into gear. I gained 40+ lbs at the point T was born (50+ from race weight) and didn't get on a scale until that two-week mark. Up to this point, I was mostly in bed, eating, drinking, nursing, sleeping, repeat. I had very strict orders to stay in bed for days after the birth, no stairs for a week, and stairs only once a day for week two.
[Long birth story very very short - We had a home birth with a midwife. T was born in a tub, in his nursery, it was awesome! So my midwife's guidance may seem different to some of you compared to mainstream medical advice post-pregnancy.]
The first few days were a haze of wonder, the next two-weeks were a bit harder as we tried to figure out how to take care of this new human that can't do anything for himself. I know that sounds obvious and funny....but I don't think you realize what that means until you are really in it. Everyone tells you that 'you're life will never be the same' but no one tells you how HARD it is. It's hard, it's really really hard. Now T is not a really great sleeper, so everything is magnified by our constant state of sleep deprivation. But I still had grand visions of starting off with an 'easy' run at two weeks and one day, and back to my six days of exercise per week...yeah right.
After a stern look from my midwife when I told her about the post-pregnancy book camp DVD that I started, I resolved to stick to a walk around the block (3/4 mile) as my exercise for the day for the next four weeks. I'm glad I took that time, and I wish I would have rested with T even longer. I wish I could say that I took advantage and took every opportunity to sleep, definitely something I would suggest for all new moms. I know it sounds cliche to sleep when the baby sleeps, but SLEEP WHEN THE BABY SLEEPS!!
So week six arrives, and I start off the day with my 18 minute (5 of which are warm-up and cool-down mind you) boot camp DVD, seems easy enough. Got my heart rate up, did some pilates for abs, got some legs in, felt great......and I couldn't walk up the stairs the next day because I was so sore. Yup, that's right. Sore from 10 minutes of cardio and 3 minutes of pilates....and I thought I was going to do this every other day? Maybe I should stick to some run/walks and a few rides instead, and work up to it. So I started with a plan to work out 6 days a week, start out with 30 min session or walk/runs, rides and sprinkle some abs and strength exercises in.
Fast forward 5 weeks later....It's still a struggle to find the time each day, but I have a great partner that makes sure I get the time even if it's just before bedtime. On Sundays, if my energy is low, I've been doing an hour of yoga/stretching/sauna just to try to recharge for the week. I decided on a goal of losing one lb per week and I get on the scale every Saturday, and write down my weight. So far I'm on track and feeling pretty good. And I was finally able to join my old group run on Saturday morning. Yeah!!! It was warm (above freezing, which for MN is great :) ) and wet, but it was so great to get outside and run with my crew. My hope is to be able to join them at least once a month. I spend more time driving back and forth than I do running, but it feels great to be out of the house and back into that sense of community.
There's so much more I want to tell about the last 5 weeks of working out, but I'm sure it will all come out in the weeks to come, and this blog post is already too long :) Soon I'll post a 'Pre, During and Post Race blog :) We'll get there, I promise.
A bonus recipe treat for those of you short on time - Overnight oatmeal in the crock pot (it's higher in protein than you think):
(Fancy version)
1 cup steel cut oats
2 cups water
2 cups milk (I used unsweenened almond milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp gd cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp agave nectar (I used maple syrup)
Put all above ingredients in the crock pot - give it a stir - turn the crock pot on high (covered) for 1 1/2 hours,give it another stir, then turn it off and leave it for the night (covered). In the morning you have breakfast for the next 4 days!! I usually nuke it for 60 seconds and add nuts and raisins. I have also made the super EZ version with all water and no spices, just oatmael and water - it works just as well, just less snazzy. Enjoy!
I got pregnant soon after my last race in 2011, but it was not meant to be as we had a miscarriage a few months in. I had still been swimming, biking, running, lifting through that time, but as anyone who has ever been pregnant can tell you, that first tri-mester you are tired, tired, tired. So I put on a few lbs before getting pregnant with T. Then when I got re-pregnant, I went through that lovely tired first trimester again, but I kept swimming, biking, and running as my energy allowed. I will admit that watching my weight crawl towards (and past) some unseen numbers, got scary at times, but I knew I was eating and working out in a healthy way, so I just let the numbers crawl.
As my belly grew, running became more difficult as my round ligament would be painful enough to set me into a walk. I saw a chiropractor on a regular basis throughout my pregnancy which helped me extend my running, but eventually, my run/walks turned into walks. I stopped being able to reach the handlebars on my bike (We have a 'trainer' set up in the basement to allow us to ride our bikes 'stationary'), so biking slowly ebbed out of the training cycle as well. So I swam, swam and swam some more. I loved it. I felt 'normal'. I even rolled out of bed (literally some days) before work to get to the pool so I could get my swim in. I became quite popular as folks started recognizing me as the very pregnant woman at the pool and folks kept teasing that one morning I was going to go into labor in the pool! (We did have a water birth, but not at the gym pool :) )
I realized that my pregnant belly wasn't going to go away overnight, but I was a bit surprised at how pregnant I still looked after he was born. I figured after two weeks, I would be closer to 'normal' and I would kick it into gear. I gained 40+ lbs at the point T was born (50+ from race weight) and didn't get on a scale until that two-week mark. Up to this point, I was mostly in bed, eating, drinking, nursing, sleeping, repeat. I had very strict orders to stay in bed for days after the birth, no stairs for a week, and stairs only once a day for week two.
[Long birth story very very short - We had a home birth with a midwife. T was born in a tub, in his nursery, it was awesome! So my midwife's guidance may seem different to some of you compared to mainstream medical advice post-pregnancy.]
The first few days were a haze of wonder, the next two-weeks were a bit harder as we tried to figure out how to take care of this new human that can't do anything for himself. I know that sounds obvious and funny....but I don't think you realize what that means until you are really in it. Everyone tells you that 'you're life will never be the same' but no one tells you how HARD it is. It's hard, it's really really hard. Now T is not a really great sleeper, so everything is magnified by our constant state of sleep deprivation. But I still had grand visions of starting off with an 'easy' run at two weeks and one day, and back to my six days of exercise per week...yeah right.
After a stern look from my midwife when I told her about the post-pregnancy book camp DVD that I started, I resolved to stick to a walk around the block (3/4 mile) as my exercise for the day for the next four weeks. I'm glad I took that time, and I wish I would have rested with T even longer. I wish I could say that I took advantage and took every opportunity to sleep, definitely something I would suggest for all new moms. I know it sounds cliche to sleep when the baby sleeps, but SLEEP WHEN THE BABY SLEEPS!!
So week six arrives, and I start off the day with my 18 minute (5 of which are warm-up and cool-down mind you) boot camp DVD, seems easy enough. Got my heart rate up, did some pilates for abs, got some legs in, felt great......and I couldn't walk up the stairs the next day because I was so sore. Yup, that's right. Sore from 10 minutes of cardio and 3 minutes of pilates....and I thought I was going to do this every other day? Maybe I should stick to some run/walks and a few rides instead, and work up to it. So I started with a plan to work out 6 days a week, start out with 30 min session or walk/runs, rides and sprinkle some abs and strength exercises in.
Fast forward 5 weeks later....It's still a struggle to find the time each day, but I have a great partner that makes sure I get the time even if it's just before bedtime. On Sundays, if my energy is low, I've been doing an hour of yoga/stretching/sauna just to try to recharge for the week. I decided on a goal of losing one lb per week and I get on the scale every Saturday, and write down my weight. So far I'm on track and feeling pretty good. And I was finally able to join my old group run on Saturday morning. Yeah!!! It was warm (above freezing, which for MN is great :) ) and wet, but it was so great to get outside and run with my crew. My hope is to be able to join them at least once a month. I spend more time driving back and forth than I do running, but it feels great to be out of the house and back into that sense of community.
There's so much more I want to tell about the last 5 weeks of working out, but I'm sure it will all come out in the weeks to come, and this blog post is already too long :) Soon I'll post a 'Pre, During and Post Race blog :) We'll get there, I promise.
A bonus recipe treat for those of you short on time - Overnight oatmeal in the crock pot (it's higher in protein than you think):
(Fancy version)
1 cup steel cut oats
2 cups water
2 cups milk (I used unsweenened almond milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp gd cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp agave nectar (I used maple syrup)
Put all above ingredients in the crock pot - give it a stir - turn the crock pot on high (covered) for 1 1/2 hours,give it another stir, then turn it off and leave it for the night (covered). In the morning you have breakfast for the next 4 days!! I usually nuke it for 60 seconds and add nuts and raisins. I have also made the super EZ version with all water and no spices, just oatmael and water - it works just as well, just less snazzy. Enjoy!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Introduction
My husband and friends have been encouraging me to start a blog about triathlons, training, life and how to balance it all for over a year. When my son was born, they pressed more, ensuring that I would find my voice as a new mom and triathlete. I thought, I have 6 weeks off work, I'll just blog in my spare time and get a good start before I have to go back to work. Perfect. Little did I know that spare time doesn't exist when you have a newborn.
My son is 10 weeks old, and I still don't have spare time, but I do think that my realistic view and story of how I get back into racing triathlons will resonate with others. Whether you're about to be a first time mom, have young children, or children are well out of the house; Whether you're new to triathlons, seasoned triathlete, or just a mom wanting to know what worked for me, triathlete or not; this blog is for you. I'll do my best to retrace the last 10 weeks, as I found my path very different from what I expected.
I'll start with my post-pregnancy journey, but also include my past experiences as well. I've been racing in triathlons for 6 years. Last year I didn't race at all as I was pregnant, but I trained with my husband as long as I could and enjoyed being a spectator at his races. I completed an Ironman in September 2011, so yes, I am one of 'those people', and I am a bit addicted to the sport. That being said, I believe that everyone has a different starting place, and everyone has different goals. My hope is to be able to reach everyone where they are in their life, right now. If your goal is to walk around the block every day this summer, awesome, get off the couch.
I know that in order to be the best Mom I can be, I need to race. I love it. I love training for a goal and completing it when race day is over. I love that you can still have a successful day even if you don't cross the finish line. When you set goals just a wee bit past where you think you can go, you find fantastic strength within and grow as a person. And to officially have my goal out in cyber world for all to see; I plan to race a Half Ironman distance race in September, with some other races sprinkled in before as preparation. There I said it. I still haven't paid for the race yet, but admitting to you all is a step in the right direction. I'm not really sure what this blog will become. It will evolve as I embark on this new title of Mom AND triathlete.
I feel I should add a disclaimer for anyone who is thinking of doing their first triathlon - It won't be your last.
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