50 Days of Core

Another nutty sadist at Trifuel has put forth a new challenge. 50 days of core extending from December 26th through February 13th. The rules look like this:

Rules:
1. 100 reps = 1 point.
2. 1 minute of timed exercises (planks etc.) = 25 reps.
3. Core specific exercises only. Abs, obliques, lower back.
4. Begin Dec. 26 and end Feb. 13.
5. You are NOT out if you miss a day, but the goal is to work the core for 50 straight days.

I ended up not doing the 30/30 December challenge, but I'm all over this. I noticed a real difference in my cycling and swimming last season after upping my core work early in the spring, but then let it tail off a bit in the thick of summer. So this is a great way to get back into the habit. Presuming I don't make myself sick from the pain!! Some of these guys are putting up 600reps a day. I just returned from the gym where I painstakingly hit 200 for the first time. The last few days it's been about 100 or so reps. Again, not a bad starting place.

Obviously, with my self image issues I'm not posting a "before" pic, but I am going to take one, and look at it often as a reminder to myself. If I can see a significant difference between now and February, maybe I'll share both of them here.

In the meantime, as a way to suck up even more of the time I should be using for training, last night I got suckered into getting a Facebook account. Why is this necessary? Don't I already know all of these people, and those I want to know or be friends with currently already have my contact information? Is there a reason that I want that mean cliquey girl from fourth grade to track me down and "Friend" me twenty five years later? Seriously, I'm not sure what made me break down and do this, and yet I spent all day at work wondering if any of my "friend requests" had been accepted and knowing I had to wait to get home to my own computer to check. I might need to ration my time. If you find me online there, write on my wall and remind me I'm supposed to be training!

Muddy Buddy

Yes, there is a race series of this name, but it's just as real when you're riding behind your husband on a muddy, wet trail. We decided to take advantage of the 65 degree weather and get out on our bikes early this morning. I sported my cute new Terry hot pink mandarin jersey and a pair of shorts. We weren't the only ones taking advantage of the mild winter weather, and the trail was occupied but not crowded with runners and bikers. Unlike years past, where I felt the need to hammer the whole way, from the get-go I told Stuart to surge ahead while I meandered and enjoyed low HR base work. But for a long stretch, he stuck with me and did the pulling, resulting in more than a bit of roadspray headed my direction. Although the weather was warm, we were dealing with wind gusts upwards of twenty miles per hour, so rather than fight them, I embraced the slow pace and contemplated the year I've had and the year I want in 2009.

Surprisingly, although I feel as though I worked harder, I actually put in fewer hours than in 2007. That doesn't make me happy, even though the race results were better. So, that's feeding in to my thought process and goal setting this week. Frankly, work will likely be a bit on the slow side the next few days, so that should lend itself to some soul searching and serious goal setting.

In any event, we had a great ride. Stuart found a "long cut" off the trail to take us on city streets rather than dealing with the stop and go of the last few miles of the trail. From there, we took a detour through the streets of North Arlington, to show him a neighborhood I found, in the event we ever decided to move that I'd be interested in watching. Our plan had been to stop at Starbucks for a few peppermint mocha lattes, but I was sweating bullets, and it seemed not quite as compelling. Maybe next weekend. There were more than a few hills tossed into the last 6 or 7 miles of our ride, so a cold glass of water was a bit more compelling at that point.

Overall, about 26miles. Slow pace, but for late-December, an acceptable workout. Got home to find my bike and my face spattered in mud, the price I pay for drafting off Stuart in the strong headwinds. Twelve hours later, my quads are burning and I'm ready for bed, but pleased to know that the true off season is over and the groundwork is being laid for a strong and successful 2009.

Christmas in Ohio

After days and days of cold and rain, we just spent a beautiful 60-degree day in the car driving 400miles from my parents' house in Ohio back home to DC. But, I suppose it's better than having to drive through that cold and snow and ice.

Anyway, I hope Christmas and the Santas in your life were good to you. We had a fun visit with my parents, brother and both of my grandparents, as well as a few hours with my aunt and uncle who drove up from Cincinnati. Lots of photos by the Christmas tree, good wine and way too much rich food courtesy of my dad's great cooking. He's an amazing cook, but doesn't believe in finding healthy alternatives for recipes that call for lots of butter or cream. So we'll be working off those calories for a while!!

Luckily, between my parents, my granni and my wonderful husband, I have no excuse not to be running and biking in warm weather AND cold. I'm awash in cold weather biking tights, jerseys, and a very pretty little balaclava number for those really cold days (not to mention some adorable warm weather things that now have me so ready for sunshine and tri season)!

Twice we bundled up and headed out for a cold winter run while we were there. Both times, back home before anyone else was even up. We passed horses, deer, and even a sign at a drivethru carry-out proclaiming "Cigs buy 1 get 1, and Huntin Licenses here". Ah, rural life! I've been fighting a cold all week, so the cold Ohio air was also a great way to hack up a lung and clear out my sinuses. According to the New York Times, that's the right tack to take, as opposed to staying at home and relying solely on chamomile tea and honey to make you feel better.

My family tends to go a little overboard at Christmas, so presents are a-plenty, and since my brother tends to sleep until noon, we don't even start unwrapping until nearly 1pm. As a result, gift giving and receiving is a day-long affair. Stuart claims this photo taken during present time is the best picture ever taken of me. It's not too late for Santa to take back his presents and put coal in his stocking! And considering his big gift was the finisher's jacket from IM Florida, I think he'll be reconsidering his commentary from now on. :-)

The boy dogs behaved well at the kennel, actually better than Ally did at my parents this year. She looked beautiful, but was way too neurotic. Now that she's starting to lose her sight and hearing and sense of smell, it's way too easy to lose track of me in my parents' house. So a few scratch marks and accidents later, she too survived the trip.

It was fun, but it's always good to be back in your own home. Time to unpack, get a quick workout in and settle in to a college bowl game tonite. Tomorrow's supposed to be 60 degrees again before the rain hits, so I see a bike ride in my new threads on tomorrow's agenda!!

A new PR!!!

Today was the Celtic Solstice 5 Miler in Baltimore. We've had friends do it in the past, but it's always conflicted with Cookie Day or other activities. This year though, we both signed up. Unfortunately, Stuart's foot was aching so it was just me and Erin making the drive up to Druid Hill Park at 6:30 this morning with Starbucks in hand, where we met up with the rest of her running crew. The race is in a gorgeous park in the middle of Baltimore -- we'll definitely make a day of it some time this spring to drive up just for a workout and lunch at the Inner Harbor.

But, gorgeous does not mean flat! I knew it was hilly going in, but still decided I wanted to definitely break 50min with a super ambitious goal of 45min. Erin, Kayla and Kim were shooting for a sub-40, while Nikki agreed to hang on to me as long as she could. By the time the first mile was over I knew I wasn't going to hit 45. Between the long long long hill and the starting line crowds, my first mile was a 10:40. Good for me, but not what I'd been aiming for. From there though, I just kept getting faster. Focusing on my breathing, my HR and the clock, I didn't even bother to count the number of people I passed. Definitely more than passed me, that's for sure!

The last mile was basically flat with a straight downhill final quarter mile to the finish. That mile alone was sub-9!! If only I could have done that for the first four miles! Official results are in and I posted a 47:34, which is a 9:31min/mile. A PR at the 5mile distance by over two minutes. Wahoo! I was a little sad at the finish line at first that I hadn't hit 45, but then realized this was the toughest 5-mile course I'd run and yet still the fastest time in the last five years. So, after re-thinking, I'm stoked.

Erin and I were talking in the car on the way home in between multiple stops in the ghetto to get gas and go to the bathroom. Somehow we've both come to love these noncompetitive group runs with other women -- whether it's with friends or my =PRR= group, and the results of those efforts are starting to reveal themselves on the race clock. Running with faster people does make you faster, especially if it's a mutually supportive environment rather than a competitive "I'm gonna kick your a$$" kind of thing. Becoming a coach, and knowing that I can encourage those who may be slower or newer to the sport has allowed me to understand that I'm not dragging down those who are faster than me. In a pay-it-forward kind of way, it's how it should be.

Christmas Light Run

Talk about a way to get into the Christmas spirit! Wednesday night I met up with a few friends to participate in the 6th annual Christmas Light Run in downtown Washington DC. Think group run meets costume party meets Christmas caroling meets happy hour. It's a fun run, in every sense of the word, that runs past the Capitol, with stops to sing Christmas carols at the White House Christmas tree, Freedom Plaza, and the DC Police Dept's blue tree before meeting back at a bar in Union Station. There are no permits, no road closures, just hundreds of people dressed as Santa, elves, snowmen, etc... running through the streets and sidewalks of DC. Erin's friend brought an extra Santa hat, which I plopped on top of my running hat, so I at least looked like I had a little bit of spirit! Stuart meanwhile had stayed home, finding the whole thing a little too silly for his taste. Bah humbug, but I love him anyways!

Divided into three pace groups, Nikki and I planned to run with the Comets (10-13:00min/mi pace) - the group that typically does the most singing and has the most fun. The Blitzens (those 8-9:00min/mi crazies) tend to focus more on the running piece, and that's where Erin, Kayla and Kim started. But somehow Nikki and I got sucked into the Blitzens before we'd even hit the halfway point of the run. Meanwhile, Erin and Kayla apparently set the pace for those nutty Blitzens. Um, this was supposed to be a fun run, girls??? A bunch of DC Tri folks were out, too. Unfortunately, I didn't get to stick around the bar for a drink afterwards, but it was a blast. A great way to combine my love of all things Christmas with my love of running and being with friends. Sign me up again next year!!

I Love Birthdays

If I were President, first thing I would do is make everyone's birthday a paid holiday for them. Yep, I'm a firm believer that your birthday is a national holiday -- at least for you! Which is why every year I look forward to December 14th...the day, the presents, the cards, just knowing it's my day. In fact, I start celebrating my birthday when it first becomes December 14th in Australia -- which means I opened a gift at about noon yesterday (what some people might call December 13th, but to me is actually already the 14th!). I might be turning 3*, but that doesn't mean I have to grow up when it comes to my birthday.

Anyway, Stuart gave me my big gift this morning -- a super sweet Cannondale cold weather cycling jacket. This thing rocks, it's made of carbon fiber, has oodles of pockets and just looked super warm. Of course that meant we had to try it out! I haven't been on my bike outside since October, so I was excited to bundle up and head out the door. The sun was out, but the wind was blowing strongly enough that I had trouble controlling my bike. Luckily though, my brand new jacket kept me totally warm. My body wasn't cold in the slightest! I was even comfortable enough to stop and pose for a few pictures.

Tell me that isn't the prettiest jacket ever!

Far in the distance you can see the Capitol over my left shoulder.

Stuart overlooking the Mall

Other than that, it was a fairly routine day. Not every birthday can be outstanding and exciting, but it was still good. My parents discovered the triathlon store in Columbus, and so loaded me up with a few new pairs of shorts and a triathlon top. And a sale at Title Nine Sports also scored a cool pair of board shorts that have me totally eager for spring. Calls from friends and family. And now we're about to celebrate not with chocolate cake, but with a little B&J low-fat cookie dough ice cream. yum!

What a Difference A Day Makes

Yesterday, I was feeling unhappy and less than fit, so somehow it was only right that a different perspective on the world today revised my thought process for the time being.

First, today was our end-of-the-season Girls on the Run party. It's always hard to say goodbye to these girls, even if it's only for a few months until spring season. They are funny and sweet and sincere. I value each of them for their joy and innocence and ability to just be. This year I made sure to take lots of pictures at both the race and the party, since I want to always remember how important they are in my life. We even managed to get a decent one of almost the entire team.

But it was also rewarding because I got to hear another story about how the lessons we are imparting are actually sinking in. One of the mothers sought me out to tell me something that happened at soccer practice a few weeks earlier. This mom is about my height/weight/body type and her daughter is a beautiful, hardworking, athletic, smart girl. Anyway...mom tells me that there are a few soccer moms with their team who are fairly tall and thin. Well, her daughter a week or two ago turned to her and said "You know, Mom. Those women really shouldn't be that skinny. They don't look healthy. You and me are just the right size that we are supposed to be." Mom said she was just floored and at the same time so grateful that her daughter had such a strong healthy body image of both herself but those around her.

Once the party wrapped up, I raced home to change clothes and get to the Thursday night Potomac River Running women's group run. It's pouring down rain tonight, with flood warnings out and a chance of snow by morning, so I considered bailing. But I decided this was a chance to build some character and so off I went. Three of us showed up, plus Jess the "rabbit" group leader, and the "caboose" staff member, whose name I'm unfortunately forgetting right now. Not the 10 to 20 women who are normally there -- so we all started the run feeling tough for being out in the cold and rainy night. We all started out together, and I knew that I'd be the one with the caboose, but decided to try and hang with the lead group as long as possible. She was cool with it, and assured me that I could set the pace and she'd be happy to stay with me. They started to drop me at about the .75mile point, but when we hit the 1-mile mark, the caboose and I realized we'd just run a sub-9:00 mile!!! Remember, my normal run pace is about an 11:00+ min/mile, so somehow I was seriously moving!! At that point I said let's just run like this until I blow up, see how long I can sustain it and keep the front group in view.

A little more than halfway through the 4.3mile run I notice that the caboose is actually lagging behind me. Turns out she's getting over being sick, and her normal healthy pace is a 9min/mil, so I was close to dropping her!!! Now that's never happened before! For some reason, I was holding this crazy sub-10min pace. So, we dialed it back, kept running and finished strong. I was encouraging her in the same way that she had for me three weeks ago. We finished and high-fived each other, giving mutual thanks for kicking each other's a$$ and keeping each other motivated. At one point I said to myself "gee, how much faster would you be if you were ten or fifteen pounds lighter". And then I had to remind myself that I was already getting faster -- that while being healthier physically would be nice, I could be fit without being a size 4. I ran faster and stronger during totally miserable weather for one of the best runs I've had in months. It was the reassurance I needed that I am an athlete. I am strong and capable and able to push my own comfort zone. Now to just survive the winter without my amazing GOTR girls to remind me that I am as special as they are!

The Paradox of the "Girl Box"

Molly Barker, the founder of Girls on the Run, calls that place that girls fall into in adolescence as the Girl Box. It's that construct in which we lose ourselves by "performing our lives rather than experiencing them" -- trying to live up to what others expect of us, what we see in the media, what we think we should be rather than what we are.

Sometimes, on days like these, I feel like a bit of a fraud. As I spend months coaching these amazing girls and hopefully instilling in them a sense of self-worth and a strength of character that will prepare them for the emotional rigors of teenagerhood and beyond, I still struggle with my own Girl Box. There are days I look in the mirror and recognize my own strength. I take pride in knowing that I have carried myself 26.2 or 70.3 miles or through some other difficult task. I feel confident, strong and capable.

But other days, I despair of the cellulite on my thighs or the size of my belly. At the same time I tell these girls to love who they are and the power of their own spirits, I occasionally question whether people like me less because I saw a few extra ounces on the scale instead of a few less that morning as I got dressed. Do the parents consider me less of a role model to their daughters if I don't "look" as fit as I think I should? I know mentally the answer is no, and yet there are times when I'm still ashamed. There is a battle between mental and emotional -- knowledge and feeling. I know it's wrong, and yet the power of our culture's subliminal labeling is sometimes overwhelming.

Sometimes that cultural bias isn't even so subliminal, sometimes it's right there in your face. On the plane ride home from my third marathon a few years ago, I was sitting next to a guy and we were chatting. I mentioned that I was returning from New Orleans where I'd run the Mardi Gras Marathon. He was shocked and said "wow, you don't look like a runner". When I responded "Does that mean you're saying I'm fat?" he hemmed and hawed. Not a denial, but instead it seemed like it was embarassment that I called him out on his callous and rude statement to a stranger. I walked away from that conversation able to laugh at his ignorance, but there are days like today when it pops back in my head.

I continue to fight my own battle, but it also challenges me as a coach. Can we break this cycle? Can these girls who accomplished amazing things last weekend truly grow up free of those same limiting and painful thoughts I still battle? It's my job to try, and hopefully in the process, learn from the innocence of their world.

Things I Like and Things I've Learned

It's hard to believe that my fifth season coaching Girls on the Run is coming to a close. The girls at Jamestown Elementary are beyond amazing. They are funny and kind and strong and compassionate and they're all becoming darn good runners. Thursday was our last practice before the season-ending Reindeer Romp 5K, and I asked each of them to write down the answers to two questions -- "What I like about Girls on the Run" and "What I learned at Girls on the Run". The rest of this entry is written by my 20 wonderful, sweet and very very special girls.

Jamestown Girls on the Run Final Thoughts
December 2008

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT GIRLS ON THE RUN
“I like to run and I like to be part of a team”

“How we all encourage each other and help when we need to. How our coaches push us when we are discouraged and they help us gain self confidence. It turns you into a better, valuable person.”

“We make friends and learn about ourselves, bullying, values, paces, feelings and running.”

“That you can run in different paces and learn more about you!”

“I enjoy running and learning new things and helping each other out.”

“That my coaches always support me on the last side when I sprint.”

“How we learn to push ourselves and everyone is special in their own way. And no one is better than anyone else.”

“The coaches, the nice teammates, games and (sometimes) running.”

“Having the coaches and teammates be there to support each other.”

“That we learn to push ourselves and try out best.”

“I like that we are encouraged to do our best. It’s a fun way to do exercise and learn about being healthy and strong at the same time.”

“It’s educational and fun at the same time. You make lots of lifelong friendships (until you go to different schools).”

“Fun games and lots of running.”

“It’s learning to respect things in life.”

“The waking up early and running.”

“It was fun to play the games as a group.”

“Running a lot”

“You run a lot! I like to run! I feel free and wild!”

“What I like about Girls on the Run is that we play fun games that have to do with running.”

“That you can run and good friends are on my team and meet new people!”

“I like to run and I like to be part of a team.”


WHAT I HAVE LEARNED AT GIRLS ON THE RUN
“I have learned a lot about myself and about my teammates. You don’t need to be pretty to have friends.”

“What I have learned at GOTR is to pace myself while running.”

“That running is not a race. Girls can do anything they set their minds to.”

“Not to gossip. To respect.”

“About communities and helping people”

“I learned how to pace so I’m faster in my total time.”

“To run without stopping to rest. Rest at the end!”

“Never gossip.”

“Pacing, trying your best, and you don’t need water to run a race.”

“It’s not just about how fast you can run.”

“The valuableness of friends, honesty, community service. How to make yourself a better person. Pros and cons and of course…running!”

“I learned how to run at my own pace, and how to treat the earth better.”

“Pacing myself.”

“I have learned a lot about myself, other people. Speed doesn’t matter. How to have fun in different ways and how to keep your body healthy.”

“I have learned that speed doesn’t matter but your pacing does! And I’ve learned how to deal with problems, for example with “I feel, when you, because, in the future”.

“It is not all about running, it is about making it.”

“That you ALWAYS have to believe in yourself no matter what.”

“We learned how to push ourselves in running and not to gossip or do anything mean and to treat yourself and others with respect.”

“To pace myself and not be as much of a person who doesn’t run.”

“Everyone goes at their own pace and we’re all different in good ways.”

Cold weekend workouts

The holiday weekend is over, but the holiday season is officially upon us! In between wrapping presents, addressing Christmas cards, and decorating the house this weekend I managed to sneak in a few workouts. But cold was the operative word!

Saturday, I headed over to the pool mid-afternoon. It was surprisingly busy, lots of people feeling the need to burn off that second helping of mashed potatoes or stuffing, I guess. I'd talked myself into going by thinking about how nice and warm the water would be - it's usually in the mid-80s. Tepid bathwater, but still warmer than the 40 degree air. Except the pool heater was broken! The water was about 8 degrees colder than I'd expected. Yikes! It could have been an excuse to cop out, but I knew I'd never forgive myself. So, I did my 2500yds as quickly as I could and got the heck out of dodge.

Yesterday never even really dawned, it was so gray and rainy all day, so it's like the sun never rose at all. Around noon though, I piled on the layers, including my trusty pink running jacket and headed out the door. Nick really wanted to come along, but the thought of wet dog all day in the house was just too unpleasant, so the poor guy got left behind. It was too dreary to try and stay motivated on the trail, so I wandered the neighborhoods of Arlington instead. Not quite 6miles, but it felt good. I saw only two other people and we nodded at each other - that acknowledgement of a little bit of toughness. The knowledge that we were out there working when we could have been home, warm and dry, instead.

I like to think of myself as tough, but inside I know that I wimp out more often than I should. And so it's good to have those chances to prove to myself that I can be as tough as I want to be. But like everything, it takes hard work and commitment.

Turkey Trot 2008

I've never been much of a fan of Thanksgiving -- overeating foods I don't really like in the first place just never seemed like a way to give thanks. When I moved to DC for law school, I decided not to head back to my parents' every year. Instead, I'd run a Turkey Trot, order pizza and do my Christmas cards while watching football. I loved it.

Fast forward ten years and we still run a Turkey Trot every year, and it's the rare occurrence that we go to Ohio. Stuart and I usually invite a mix of friends who also are here with nowhere to go, and cook a very nontraditional Thanksgiving meal, but this year it was going to be just us. While we didn't plan a big, gluttonous meal, it was going to be extravagant in its very yumminess.

We met up with Erin and a few of her running girlfriends for the Alexandria Turkey Trot 5-miler. I went out way too fast last year, and died towards the end. This year, my goal was to shoot for 45min. As we walked towards the starting line, though, I learned that this was Erin's friend Nikki's first ever race...and she was nervous. I mentioned that I was going to start out at a 10-11min/mi pace, and then hammer from there if I felt good, so we agreed to start together. But then my goal changed. I decided it would be more fun, and more rewarding, to help Nikki achieve her goal than to try for a PR in a race that was supposed to be all about having fun. And it ended up being the most fun race of my entire season.

Nikki ran strong, thanking volunteers, and pushed herself through a tough final mile without having to walk any of the race. And with a mile and a half to go, we picked up Tess, a middle schooler running her first race. She was walking and I decided we could get her to the finish with a steady run, too. Sure enough, both of them finished strong, with Tess sprinting away for the last block or two yelling a "thank you" back in our direction. Nikki finished with a smile on her face, with a time of 55:43 by my watch. I was smiling, too. So often I've been the one at the back of the pack, watching my faster friends leave me in the dust, or just wondering if I'd be able to finish. Helping two people who were really complete strangers to me accomplish a goal was such a great feeling. I knew I could have gone faster, and pushed myself, but I found more fulfillment in giving of my own time and positive energy to help them.

So on this Thanksgiving, I enjoyed a tremendous meal with my amazing husband and gave thanks not just for all that has been given to me, but for the gift of being able to give of myself to others.

Making Use of the Gym Membership

It's gotten cold and the days are short, which means long bike rides after work are over for a few months. Instead, it's time to once again make use of our gym memberships. You wouldn't know it during the summer months, but we've been members of Gold's Gym for a few years, it's just on rare instances that we step through their doors any time between April and October. Bring on the winter though, and we're each in there two or three times per week. It's always interesting to get back and see the same people year in and year out. The big burly guys with orange tans, that you just know were from the gym's tanning beds since they rarely if ever leave that weight room. Lucky us, it's the "social Golds" in town, so way too many girls in full makeup and guys with gelled hair. But it's huge and it's only two miles from our house.

Tuesday night spin class becomes a fixture during these months. "Dave L." is the instructor. Big guy -- if you saw him in the weight room you'd think he was just some meathead. But boy can that guy run a spin class! Unlike the instructors who approach it like step aerobics, he actually puts us through workouts that simulate rides --- long hill climbs, stretches of sprints, etc... Last night I somehow ended up with the bike directly under the fan, and as a result got no airflow at all. Sweat literally dripped to the ground before the hour was up. We know Dave up close and personal since last year he and I had a little argument based on a misunderstanding. I tried to tell him before class that I was going to do a time trial test and so he'd see me going strong the whole class rather than backing off when he said to recover. Basically I said "don't worry about me, but I'm sort of going to be doing my own thing." He thought I meant I was going to put an iPod on and just ignore him. Yeah. He didn't take too well to that concept and told me I was rude. We worked it out, and now we're all buds, but still, made for some tense moments. Stuart was not happy that he might be called upon to defend me. I mean, he's a big dude and he was pretty pissed at me! But anyway...now we're all friendly and say hi whenever we're there.

The point is that I started this year calling it the year of the bike, and the year I was going to love hills. Last year, Dave's class would leave me totally beat. I struggled to finish it, and would cut myself some slack on those long climbs. The past two weeks though, I find myself pushing harder. Sure, you can always max out on those spin bikes, but I'm not counting the seconds until the end of class. Once again, I'm getting the affirmation I need that my own hard work has paid off. You don't always see it on a daily basis, which makes it hard to stick with it. It takes faith, and race results, sometimes to convince yourself that progress is really being made.

I've just purchased my off-season training plan and that officially starts on Monday, 1 December. I could have just winged it, but know that I need structure. Even if I don't always follow it explicitly, at least it's something staring at me and reminding me that there's work to be done, progress to be made. And just because I'm indoors doesn't mean a workout isn't happening that won't pay dividends next summer.

More bizarre weather...

That's right. The weather is a bit schizophrenic right now. Yesterday it was cold and rainy and I was beginning to think about Christmas. We built a fire, made soup, and opened many bottles of wine with my cousin Billy, and friends Erin, Chris and a few others. Today dawned drizzly and gray, so we pulled on jeans and long-sleeves to head to the farmer's market. Huh? Stepped outside and it was 65 degrees! By the time we got home with our fresh veggies, it was over 70.

I quickly changed into shorts and a t-shirt (this is mid-November!!), and grabbed Nick's leash. After a warm-up walk through the neighborhood with Joe and Ally, we were off. It's November, so the HR monitor stayed home, but I tried to keep a steady comfortable pace, thinking I'd push it a bit on the backside. Nick is just an amazing running buddy. Once he settles in and gets focused, it's fabulous. Walking him is tough because he's always pulling the leash, nosing around and being a goofy little dog. But on a run, he's on a mission. We passed other dogs, and he glanced at them, but didn't even break stride.

And that was the crazy part, we passed other dogs! Being at Ironman Florida with Stuart definitely did good things for me. Yeah, sure I didn't hit my 8hr/wk workout goal since I was a bit busy volunteering and Ironsherpa-ing. But, the motivation and oomph from all the energy in the air seemed to stick. As someone whose comfy zone 2 pace has been in the 11-12min/mi range for a few too many years, I was shocked to realize we cranked out 6miles today in 1:01. Still not breaking landspeed records as compared to my friends and family, but it's a start.

More importantly, it was fun. With no iPod, no HR monitor, just me, Nick and the sunshine, it was calming to know I was doing something I wanted to do. Not because a coach was telling me to, but because you don't get many days like that in November. And, since Ironman is done, life in our house has calmed. I felt no pressure to move on to the next thing on my to-do list. I always read about people who use running as a way to daydream or even mull over issues at work or home that might need solutions. That's rarely been me. Either I'm too focused on how slow I am, or how tight my muscles are, or else if I start to think about things that are weighing me down my heart rate starts to rise as I get more stressed about them. Today, though, I realized I was actually day-dreaming! Nothing concrete, but just being in the moment watching Nick smile and thinking about what a beautiful day we were having.

I know right now I'm hanging on to fitness, rather than building it, but that's the point. Another week or two and I'll start thinking about harder and more focused off-season work. But this is the mental break I need - to do things because I want to, with no clear goal in mind other than to feel my own strength and freedom. Somewhere in the back of my head, I'm starting to nurture a few goals for next year, but there's time before I need to lay those out here and commit to them.

Another Aspect of Autumn

So if you see hugely obese, as in massively morbidly obese, squirrels does it mean the winter is going to be especially bad? Because we found the fattest squirrel I've ever seen munching on our Halloween pumpkins the last few days. Joe exhibited such restraint - whining profusely but not going absolutely crazy the way he might have in the past (those obedience sessions must be paying off). Somehow though, Nick and Ally remained oblivious, although very interested in sniffing out the mess when I took them for a walk last night. I took some pictures this morning before Stuart finally put the remnants of our pumpkins in the garbage can, but not before the seeds and slime were scattered all over our front lawn. These photos were taken at 7:00 this morning, but the not-so-little rodent had completely hollowed out both pumpkins by this afternoon. We might have our own pumpkin patch next year, who knows!?

A Perfect Autumn Saturday

One thing I love about off-season is the time you have. Don't get me wrong, I already miss triathlons and can't wait for that first perfect 75 degree day in April. But right now, I'm ready for fires in the fireplace, candles lit, football on tv, and comfort foods.

Today, for about the first time ever, I convinced Stuart to join me at the farmer's market. Can I say how much I love going to the farmer's market? There's something pure about buying your food freshly picked or butchered or made from the people that produced it. Over our vacation, I got Stuart reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" which I read back in February and it's really got him thinking. And so he was intrigued to join me in wandering the market - sampling apples, smelling homemade soaps and potpourri, oohing & aahing over the colorful fall flowers, and selecting the basis for our meals this week. The farmer's market has also turned into a year 'round event, so I have a feeling we'll be frequenting it almost every Saturday morning from now on. It was so much more fun with him there - it really is a family friendly place. On the way home we realized that since grocery store prices have gotten so high lately, we actually spent probably only about 5-10% more than we would have for the same items at the store. That makes the market even that much more appealing. In fact, the only thing that would make it more perfect would be if Joe, Nick and Ally could come along - but the four-footed members of our family unfortunately aren't welcome there.

Back home with our grain-fed antibiotic-free steaks, fresh mozzarella and fabulous haul of just-picked veggies tucked away it was time for a bike ride. Not a bike ride with a capital B, but a bike ride. A leisurely 20-something miles at an easy pace. Chatting, stopping to take pictures of the colorful leaves, and basically doing what some might call 'base training', but today I called being together. The only downside was that a lot of other, not quite as trail savvy folks had the same idea. We dodged and weaved around a few oblivious people on bikes and on foot. Overall though, it was just gorgeous.

It's now early evening on this idyllic day and I'm working on dinner. Those steaks are marinating in home-grown rosemary and wine. The mushrooms have been sauteed for a yummy mushroom barley risotto. And a soft red wine has just been uncorked. Time to put on some college football, light some candles and enjoy knowing that there's no rush. No 6hr bike rides or 2hr runs await us tomorrow. I admit it...I really do love autumn.

30/30's

I've now learned this phrase in two different capacities with regard to triathlon. First, it's a kick butt bike workout that my EN coach used in the off season. It works best if you do it on a trainer. Basically, once you're warmed up you do a set (5-10) of :30 as hard as you possibly can, followed by :30 of recovery. The key here is that by the 3rd or 4th set, that 30 seconds isn't nearly enough time to recover, and by the last two or three sets, you are hoping that you die rather than having to recover. It's an awesome way to boost high end fitness, presuming you don't puke from the effort of course!

Now the other 30/30 and the one I'm thinking about right now. A bunch of Trifuel folks are doing a December challenge....run for at least :30 for 30 days straight in December. Each :30 counts as 1pt. Goal being who can both run for 30 days, but the second goal might be to rack up the most points. Friendly, nation-wide competition so there's no prizes in store. I'm torn. The part of me that knows I should keep my running to a minimum if I hope to ever get over the tendonitis says I shouldn't participate (I didn't last year). The competitive/fun part of me says "what the heck", there's no speed requirements so just a 30min jog with Nick every day would make us both happy. That would be on top of being part of the USA Triathlon Club Challenge that begins on December 1st to amass the most swim/bike/run miles as a club between December and February. Hmmm... what to do? Input welcome, or I'll let you know what I decide!

Stuart, you are an IRONMAN!!!

I'm not sure I've ever been more proud of my husband! Ironman Florida was an incredible experience for me as a volunteer, spectator and most importantly, wife of an Ironman.

The day started so so so early, with the alarm going off at 4am. Nerves had struck, and he was only able to manage a piece of toast and some coffee. Not the most auspicious breakfast for an ironman, but so be it. We made our way to transition by about 5:30am. The key to the day, for me, was that magic Volunteer t-shirt from the day before. It basically guaranteed me access for the next twelve or fourteen hours. So I was able to help him settle in, pump his tires, and then walk with him to the beach...where we promptly got separated while I tried to make contact with the rest of the "support crew". After a few tears, my dad found him for me and I was able to wish him luck and give him one last kiss before the cannon sounded. He smiled but was more nervous than I've ever seen him at a race.

But, he did manage to pose for a few photos before focusing on the day ahead. His original goal had been to swim the 2.4miles in between 1:15 and 1:20, but the ruptured bicep and separated shoulder had him hoping just to break 1:30.

While he was out swimming, I sent my parents, aunt & uncle, and Stuart's bro and sis-in-law over to the bike start while I made my way back to transition in the hope that I could see him before he headed out on the bike. The day before as a volunteer I'd been part of organizing all the transition bags into neatly ordered and race numbered rows. So I found the row with #1810 and started to watch my watch. And then the chaos hit. Triathletes, fresh from the washing machine of the swim started to pour through the entrance yelling out their race numbers. We grabbed transition bags and tossed them up the aisles where the athletes grabbed them and headed to the change tents. The level of stress was palpable - most of these men and women still looked shell-shocked and half-crazed from the wild swim. Stuart finally emerged - with a swim time of 1:16 -- right on target!! I tossed him his bag, told him I loved him, and met him on the other side of the change tent to hand-off his bike. Then, since I was stuck in the chaos of transition, I stuck around for another hour and continued to hand out transition bags until I could escape and meet up with my family.

A few hours later, having watched his progress online, I headed back to Transition to accomplish the same task during the bike-to-run transition. Sure enough, in 5:46 (14min ahead of his 6hr goal), Stuart came running into T2. I was thrilled to see him looking so strong, and jogged alongside him to the changing tent to hear about his bike ride. Again, I waited on the other side while he changed into run gear and got slathered with sunscreen by a few female volunteers (a task he enjoyed quite a bit!!). Then, with a quick kiss and an exchange of "I love you's", he was off to complete his marathon and become an Ironman. Again, I headed back to hand out transition bags.

Throughout the day, I just had so much fun meeting and working with so many of the volunteers. Some were there because they wanted to sign up for the 2009 Ironman Florida. Others, like me, were there supporting athletes. And some were local residents just having fun. I had a great time with a 12yr old in T2 who was totally into yelling encouragement at the athletes as he handed out transition bags. Hopefully my pep talk was enough to convince him to check out a kids' triathlon next summer!!

I finally was able to park myself on the run course, prepared to shout encouragement in his direction as he ran the two loop course. He looked strong and managed to smile. Unfortunately, the rest of the support crew didn't make it down until after he'd started his second loop. No worries, we found a good spot in the finish area bleachers so that they'd be sure to put the signs, cowbells, and loud shouts to good use. Our families have always been supportive of our athletic endeavors, but to be at the finish line watching people of all ages, shapes and sizes cross that line really seemed to move them all. With them comfortably seated, it was time for my final volunteer effort.

I made my way to the finish line, which was obviously heavily guarded by volunteer security staff. Still wearing my now limp and sweaty "transition" volunteer shirt, I talked my way into the finish area and put on a "finish area" volunteer shirt. So armed, I set about handing out finisher's medals until my cell phone rang and my aunt told me Stuart was less than a quarter mile from the finish. I grabbed one last medal, and when I heard Mike Reilly announcing "Stuart McFarren, YOU are an Ironman" I pushed past the rest of the catchers and began crying as I grabbed him and put the medal around his neck. It was such an incredible moment. He was dazed, but upright and running strong. We confirmed that he didn't need medical aid and then made our way through the craziness of the finish area. One of the coaches who had spoken at my triathlon coaching clinic the previous weekend was there and snapped a few photos. We stopped to take the requisite official finisher's photo, which will soon be framed in our home, and then left the finisher's area to meet up with the rest of the crew. What a feeling!!!

Later that night, refreshed from a shower, he regaled us with stories of the day while my aunt Stephanie churned out pizza after pizza from the condo's kitchen. His final time was right on his 12hr target. A 4:42 marathon put his finishing time at 12:03. Phone calls, text message and emails have poured in over the last few weeks -- wishing him luck and then congratulating him on a wonderful day. And we finally got home this week to find signs, balloons and cards waiting at home from friends as well.

Being there both scared me, watching some finishers collapse and be wheeled away on wheelchairs, but also motivated me. I WILL cross that IM finish line someday. Hopefully before I'm 40. In the meantime, I'm satisfied with the label of Iron-wife, and I take great pleasure in point out to Stuart at least half a dozen times a day "Stuart, YOU are an Ironman".

Ironman Florida Eve...

It's Friday and things are heating up. Yesterday Stuart got in a good swim session, giving the real Navy swimmer in the family a run for his money!

We spent the day checking out the bike course, letting him ride various parts of it. It's as flat and fast as they promised. But boy does it look boring!!! Then the two of us snuck out for a run. Being around the Ironman aura must have been motivated since Stuart clocked me running at a 9min/mile pace. For me, that's smokin'! I also ran into Lee Zohlman, founder and elite coach with BodyZen who was one of the instructors at my USAT coaching clinic last weekend. It was great to get a few minutes of his time one-on-one. If I could afford him, would so want him to be my coach.

Last night Stuart, Mom and I met up with the rest of the Endurance Nation crew for a very yummy dinner, but not before pausing for a few sunset pictures on the balcony overlooking the Gulf. We met some great folks - newlyweds David and Lee who are both taking on the Ironman tomorrow morning, and got to catch up with Coach Patrick as well.

Today's been a busy day so we hope to be in bed by 10pm. Mom and I volunteered all day in the Transition area, handling bike check-in for nearly 2600 athletes. We saw them all -- the pros, the cool calm folks, the excited, and the terrified. In honor of Halloween, I even got some weird S&M, gladiator type dude checking in his swim-to-bike bag. On the flip side, I also got to see and escort Heather Fuhr, although she was a bit busy working as the pro liaison doing some trouble shooting. So, no fan photos. :-(

Stuart and my dad arrived at about noon, and I was lucky enough to be able to escort him personally through the whole process. Heck, even the pros didn't get that treatment!! Compared to many of the athletes who had come through, I was so proud of his calm demeanor. He looked prepared, ready, and confident while at the same time respectful of tomorrow's challenge.

He loaded his bike on the rack, and then we stopped for a few quick photos with Mom and Dad. The rest of the support crew has arrived, so it's time for dinner and then tomorrow is RACE DAY!

Ironman Florida, Day 1

The next few entries will be less about me, and more about my better half. This weekend Stuart will be taking on his first Ironman. We arrived safely in Panama City Beach yesterday morning, having picked up my mom at the teeny tiny Fort Walton Beach airport on the way from Pensacola. The first think you need to know is, it's freakin' FREEZING down here! Seriously, it was 37 degrees yesterday morning and the high was only a windy low 60s. We might be shopping at Wal-Mart for some sweatshirts. Sunshine State, my a$$!

We checked into our condo and wandered down to get him registered and check out the Expo. Apparently, registering for an IM is serious business, they check his ID twice, stamped his hand and then barred my mom and I from even peeking into the magic tent. So, Stuart disappeared into the shadows while we waited.

Luckily, though, he emerged safely on the other side smiling broadly with his bag of race numbers in hand and an athlete's bracelet on his wrist.

We wandered around a bit, collected his bike from the shipping company and had the super-hot Zipp 808s put on. Apparently, we couldn't escape politics even at Ironman -- I got a 5min massage from "Joe the Massage Therapist"! We also checked out the TriggerPoint tent, interesting but painful in a physical therapy kind of way.

Stuart took his bike for a ride, while mom and I relaxed at the condo. I think I'm still trying to overcome the exhaustion from the weekend, an all-nighter getting packed on Monday and traveling.

A good dinner thanks to my mom at a yummy seafood restaurant (fresh caught grouper, anyone?) and we were in bed before 11. Not the most exciting post, but I think the days are building.

Run Like A Girl

This morning I ran the Nike+ Virtual Women's Half Marathon down in Old Town Alexandria with my friend Erin. Julie was supposed to join us, but crashed her bike at 10:30pm last night riding home from our house. She showed up at the starting line with some wicked road rash on her face and a very swollen hand. Needless to say, she definitely wasn't in any shape to run, but she wished us luck. Erin, on the other hand, was attempting her first half marathon and was totally ready for action.

This was a small race with a cool concept -- the actual Nike Women's Half took place in San Francisco with the slogan "Run Like A Girl". If you ran "virtually" today and had the distance documented, you got the finisher's schwag (a Tiffany's keychain). Our local running store Pacers did a great job. There was only one water stop, no closed streets and less than 200 women out there, but lots of positive energy -- and a finish line loaded with smoothies, water, donuts and free massages. Needless to say, that was all incentive to haul my sorry, slow self to the finish line!

Erin had gone into this saying she was going to stay with me for as long as I was able to run. The morning was cold as we set out - mid40's and I was glad I'd worn long sleeves, but my legs were cold. I was holding a decent pace, a touch faster than I was truly comfortable with, but since I knew I'd be walking the back half most likely, there was no reason to keep it totally slow. But it was still too slow for Erin....before the 5k mark she had surged ahead. I didn't mind though. First, it was stunning out. We ran most of the distance along the Mount Vernon Trail, which crossed the Potomac and was flush with red and golden leaves. Second, being a Nike/iPod event, music was legal! It's amazing what a difference it makes in diverting you from the pain and helping the miles to slip by.

The course was an out and back, and as I hit the 5.5mile mark I started feeling the tendon acting up. I kept urging myself to hang tough and at least run until I hit that turnaround point at mile 6.55. It was so frustrating -- I was feeling good, in my zone, everything was working except the damn lower leg. I passed Erin on her return trip about 1/4mile from the turnaround and told her that my running time was now measured in minutes before I disintegrated into a walk. She admitted later that she could see the pain in my face. But something happened as I approached the turnaround and the pain subsided a bit. The course wasn't hilly, but the few rolling sections allowed me to bound up on my toes, letting the tendon stay contracted for a bit. And a wicked blister on my instep had me trying to land more on the outer edge of my foot. The combination seemed to take the immediate pain away and the threat of spasms subsided. The mix I had on my iPod was a good one that let me settle into a groove and just go. Twice I pulled up and stretched alongside the trail, begging my leg to hang in there. My goal of hitting 2:30 was in sight if I could keep running just a touch longer. At the Zooma half marathon in June, I had to stop running at about mile 8. Today as I passed mile 8 I held my breath, nervous that the pain would return but something, maybe the music, was holding it at bay.

When I hit the ten mile mark I breathed a sigh of relief, at this point even if I had to walk, 2:30 was doable. I did the math...if I kept running, I could possibly break 2:20. I hadn't done that since first contracting tendonitis two years ago! Time to dig deep. It seemed as if most of the women that day had chosen to do the 8mile route, since I spent most of the morning running alone. I pushed hard, stopping twice more to stretch and before I knew it I was within half a dozen blocks of the finish! I could see Erin waving wildly at me as I kicked towards a strong finish. 2:20 on the nose for an average of 10:43min/mile. For me, an outstanding result! Erin too had a great day, with a 2:04 and the knowledge that she really didn't even push that hard and could easily have gone sub-2.

I have been so bummed for the last month or two that my tri season was so short. So today I feel happy. This was a good race for me - there's no championchip to "prove" my time, but I know it. And despite my desire to continue to get faster, stronger, lighter, fitter, apparently I've had a good year. My new keychain is now holding my keys, and will be a reminder to me each time I fire up the Jeep this winter that my hard work is paying off slowly but surely.