Swimming has been consistent, but I’m still looking forward to the outdoor long course pools opening.  I also haven’t been in open water or in my wetsuit yet this year, but I’m not too worried it.  

My run training has been minimal. The hips seem to be just fine, but I’ve been having some calf/achilles issues that I am trying to keep from blowing up.  So the frequency is there, just not the duration I would like at this point.

The American Triple T is in less than two weeks.  I am both excited and nervous.  There is a huge crew representing Lexington so that will be a blast, but it just seems so early to have a weekend with such great distances.  Not to mention my teammate is a machine and I am nervous about trying to keep up with her.  Luckily she is racing Kansas a few weeks later so hopefully she won’t mind having to hold back on the run for me.  I am trying to look at this race as just a great training weekend, not a race.  Right now it sounds great, but when I’m at the race I have a feeling some of my competitive nature might emerge.  I just need to remember that it’s all for IMLOU.

Endurance Base Camp is gearing up for some great things over the next few months.  We have a team right now training for IMLOU that is really taking off, and we are excited to see some great performances from them this year.  We are also launching a Columbus Marathon and Half Marathon Program that starts June 1st and/or June 29th.  We already have some runners signed up for the team, and the more the merrier so spread the word to anyone thinking about running a fall marathon!  Our Strength Training for Runners book is getting some great reviews from users, and our forums have been a great site for triathlon/running discussions.  Check it out!

Happy training everyone!

So it is March and I am getting back into some serious training.  I kept up my cycling challenge of riding every day through January and February.  Then March came around and I decided to try to make it an even consecutive 100 days on the bike.  I was doing great until a few weeks ago when Gary and I both got food poisoning on some bad Chinese food.  I missed one day, but decided that I could still make 100 rides in 100 days.  I only have 16 more rides to go.  I have been feeling really good on the bike and lately I have been able to get outside quite a bit.  Hooray for spring!

My sister came this weekend and we trained a bit.  I brought her out to Todd’s Road and we rode outside a few times.  It was really nice having her until we both wrecked on Sunday.  It was actually my first ever road wreck and it wasn’t that bad.  Tracy, Paula and I were riding and I was in front.  Coming the opposite way were Jill and Kristin.  Well that was just pretty exciting so I decided to slow down.  Tracy hadn’t noticed that I was slowing down and her front wheel collided with my back wheel.  We both went down, and luckily the bikes only suffered some bent spokes.  Tracy scraped her knee a bit and I scraped and bruised my right leg.  I thought I was fine, and probably still am fine, but my right shoulder keeps getting more sore each day.  I’m pretty sure it is just muscular, though.  So we had a bit of a rough weekend, but it was so great to see her and have her in KY for the weekend!  Next time I ride I’ll have a bumper sticker that says “will brake for C4!”

Running has been going well.  I am up to 16 miles per week right now and the hips feel pretty good.  I think I am in the clear, but I am increasing my mileage and intensity slowly.  It’s good to be back with the Chevy Chasers on Tuesday Thursday mornings, and out at Todd’s.

Swimming is going well, also.  I am in the pool 2-3 times per week right now, but I am really looking forward to the outdoor pools opening in a few months.

The big exciting news is that I am getting a new bike!!!!!!!  Gary ordered it last week, and it should be here any day.  We got it at Capitol City Cycles.  Troy out there is so great and was very helpful in our selection.  I went with the Jamis Xenith Comp Femme road bike.  I thought about a tri bike, but with the distances that I race and the fact that I probably won’t be racing as much in the next few years a road bike seemed more practical.  I can’t wait for it to get here!

Swimming is coming along.  I have started swimming twice a week which is a huge improvement on my zero times a week.  Swim fitness usually comes fast so I am not as worried about my times right now.  I’m just ready for summer so I can swim outside.

Running is coming along very very slowly.  I have maxed out at 3 miles and I am really trying to take care of my hips.  The right one actually feels really good and that is the one that blew up before during and after the Chicago marathon.  However, now when I hit 2-3 miles on a run I start to feel a bit of a sharp pain right on the greater trochanter of my left hip.  I usually stop and not try to run through it because I can’t afford (physically and financially) to go through what my right hip went through.  I think the pain might have come from the overcompensating for my right hip.  I’m being good and foam rolling and stretching like mad.  I’m sure it will be ok, but I just would like to be running as much as my IMLOU teammates right now!

Alright, off for a little jog with Gary and Kelty!

Another thing that comes along with my increased training volume is my increased food consumption.  Well duh, right?  I am burning more calories than before so I need to take more in.  Sometimes though, I feel like my appetite is much greater than that of my caloric needs when I am training.  When I am just training to maintain fitness, <5 hours a week, I hardly ever feel hungry and the numbers on the scale start to drop.  I won’t lie, I like to see that happen.  But as soon as the training started again I feel like I have been eating everything in sight (and not always making great choices) and I am up 1-2 pounds.  Muscle weighs more than fat?  Let’s hope that is the case here.  There is just something that I like about numbers around 120 instead of 125.  Truthfully, numbers on a scale shouldn’t matter as much as I let them.

Well Monday I decided it was about time for me to try a run.  I decided to run/walk every 5 minutes at an easy pace with the dog.  We started off walking and as I started running I thought I felt a bit stiff, but it might have been all in my head.  I actually felt so good that I ran for 18 minutes!  I was completely pain free, but decided to play it safe and head home.  It felt so good I wanted to jump up and down in the middle of the street and shout, “I’m running!”.  Instead I just whispered it over and over to Kelty.  I think she was pretty happy to have another running partner, too.  I think I will try again this weekend.

Since Chicago I have had little motivation to train.  That’s not really a good thing when you are signed up for an Ironman in 2009.  I have been working out, but not on a regular schedule or with any reason other than to move more.  I think time off is a good thing, especially when you are injured, but I’m ready to get back in it.  So, I decided to give myself a challenge for January.  I am going to try to ride my bike every day in January.  Since riding my bike doesn’t bother my hip, and since it is my weakest of the three tri disciplines I think this will be a good challenge for me.  However, it is January and when it comes to cycling outside in the cold I am the ultimate wus.  Hopefully we will have several days of what I consider “rideable weather”, but I anticipate many trainer rides this month.  Tonight was an hour on the trainer watching the Rose Bowl.  I thought of it as great mental training.  Watching USC football is not my idea of motivation.  But I got through it thanks to my iPod.

So here’s to 2009…the year of the bike!!!

So I hobbled around in pain for several days, but I think it is has been feeling better and better every week off of running.  Ultrasound and PT has been helping, but some days I’m still sore.  It is getting a little frustrating not being able to run.  I have been lifting upper body, going to yoga and I actually got back in the pool a couple of weeks ago.  Swimming is fine, but I would really like to start cycling soon.  I guess it’s a good thing I don’t have any races until May.

Saturday I was a nervous wreck. I think it was the most nervous I have ever been before a race.  I had a really hard time settling down, but come race morning I felt a lot better.  Gary and I met the girls at their hotel and we walked together to the race start.  It was about a mile and a half, and and it helped to warm up my already sore and stiff hip.  We met Jeannie at the gear check, and headed off to our corral.  I have to admit, the seeded corral was really nice.  The one and only complaint I have ever heard about Chicago is that it is too crowded, but although there were 45,000 people signed up for the race I never felt like I was being held back, and couldn’t run.  I was grateful for that.

Jill, Amy, Kristin, Jeannie and I all started the race together.  Amy and Kristin were off together from the start and I never saw them again.  Jill found her stride around mile 3 and I kept seeing her look back for me, but I knew she was going to have the race of her life and I didn’t want to be the one to hold her back.  That was the last I saw of Jill.  It was a little difficult to see her go because we honestly did probably 95% of our quality runs side by side.  We even finished the Lake City Half Marathon side by side!  I wasn’t at all upset that she was beating me, but weeks ago before this injury, I had always had this rose colored image of us running together laughing and or complaining as we always did.  Then of course. crossing the finish line both having qualified for Boston.  Doesn’t that sound nice?

Jeannie and I ran together through around mile 7.  We were exactly on pace as we crossed the 10k mark, but I was thinking that it didn’t feel as easy as I thought it should have.  In an instant Jeannie was gone.  I tried to keep positive and told myself that I was running the Chicago Marathon!  Have fun!  So for one mile I took it all in. The crowd, the runners, the town, everything.  It really is an amazing race.  Too bad my enjoyment only lasted one mile…My hip was hurting.  I’d felt it starting around mile 2.  I just wasn’t happy.  I scanned the crowds so hard looking for Gary, but I never saw him.  I told myself as soon as I see Gary or my dad I will just stop.  I wasn’t going to make 3:40, and I really didn’t care to have another 4:00 marathon under my belt.  I never did see Gary and when I got past halfway I was too nervous to stop because I didn’t really know where I was.  I did however see my friend Chris twice!  It was so unbelievably great to see him and his awesome homemade sign.  I was so grateful the second time I saw him that I stopped to give him a hug.  Thanks, Chris!

I tried to stay positive throughout the race, but it was hard to do.  I kept telling myself that if I ran faster the pain would be over sooner.  I got swept up by the 3:45 pace group, then the 3:50 pace group.  It’s not really a good feeling.  It got hot, I found out later it reached 84 degrees at 11am.  I really don’t think much compares to the pain of a marathon.  I kept asking myself why do I put myself through this?  It hurts so freakin bad!  I’m not just talking the hip either.  Maybe I am just doing it wrong.

I somehow got to mile 26 and at last saw Gary and my dad at the finish line.  I squeaked in just under 4:00.  I made it through half of the finishers area when I heard, “Nikki!”  It was the girls.  I was so anxious to hear how they did.  Jill was beaming, and for good reason.  She ran an incredible 3:38!  What a rock star, she did have the race of her life…so far!  Amy went 3:41 just above BQ, but no worries since she already qualified at Louisville.  That girl has oodles of potential.  Kristin went 3:45, but, was battling some pretty rotten patellar tendinitis for the past few weeks.  She hadn’t run all week either, and under the circumstances did an exceptional job.  K, our day will come.  I promise!  Or maybe we can just be half marathoners… ;)  AND Jeannie went 3:40!  I always knew she had it in her.  I’m so proud of those girls!

After a few pictures, Gary, Dad and I started the long walk back to the car.  The girls were going for pizza.  What?!?  I think I’m going to vomit, no thanks on the pizza.  What is with me and nausea after races?  I spent 15 minutes parked over a trash can on Michigan Ave. on our way back to the car.  At least it wasn’t like Phoenix this time, just some dry heaves.

So I was 20 minutes over my goal time.  Am I disappointed? I think I may have gotten out all of my disappointment last week.  I think all of my overactive emotions were due to the fact that in the back of my mind I knew the race was not going to be what I knew it could be.  20 weeks of long runs and incredibly tough speedwork in the hottest months of summer for what?  For nothing?  I’m choosing not to think so.  The marathon isn’t just about running 26.2 miles.  Most of it is how you get there.  Yes, it is a great feeling to cross the finish line and it is incredibly satisfying to reach a time goal, but there is so much more to it than that.  It’s running with friends, pushing each other to places we never thought we could go, having someone to complain about the pain to, and that great feeling of running 40 minutes at a 7:30 pace in 70 degree weather with 95% humidity.  I am not going to let October 12th, 2008 get me down because I didn’t make 3:40, when I made 100% of my training runs starting on May 27th.  (well besides the last week!)  That’s 108 workouts and we ran each of them with purpose and precision.  Sure I’m still a little disappointed, but I know I’ve put in the hard work and someday I will reap the benefits.

1. Make it your priority. There is nothing more important than your health.  Without our health all of the other parts of life are lost as well.  Along with a proper diet, exercise is crucial in improving and maintaining health.  The benefits are numerous and include, but are not limited to, reducing your risk of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, it reduces your risk of injury, and can even reduce stress, as Gary mentions in his article.  Can you believe it?  The thing that you are stressing over is the exact thing that can help you relieve it!  So, knowing all of this (which I’m sure you already do) how can you not make exercise a priority?  Write it in you calendar, set goals, let family members know how important this is for you, and get out there and sweat a little!

2.  Set aside the same time of day for each scheduled workout. Pick a time that works best for you and again, write it in your calendar.  You will be more likely to be consistent with your program if the time of day is the same for each workout.  This may be 5:30am or 10:00pm.  It helps knowing that on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays you are going to walk 4 miles at 6:00am (or whatever activity and time you may choose).

3.  Choose an activity that you enjoy. Exercise is not always fun, but it does not have to be a chore.  If you absolutely hate running on a treadmill don’t do it.  Mix it up a bit.  Cardio can be mundane so split it up between different activities, or try circuit training.  Go for a bike ride with your kids, or a walk after dinner with your spouse or a friend.  Join a recreational sports league, or a fitness class at a local gym.  Trying a sport or activity that is new and or exciting can be extremely motivating.

4. Have someone hold you accountable. Who better to do this than a personal trainer?  He or she will schedule your appointments, write your workouts, and motivate you to work harder than you would on your own.  It can be expensive, but not when you think of the money spent as a health investment.  If a personal trainer is not an option try recruiting a workout buddy.  I almost never run, cycle, or swim by myself anymore, and there is good reason for that.  My training partners motivate me to be at a 5:30a workout, and they push me, encourage me, and distract me from the painful or boring parts of the training.  I credit a lot of my fitness to each of them.

5.  Try it for one week. Schedule in 3-4 workouts for one week.  Don’t skip one.  At the end of the week take inventory.  How do you feel?  Not so bad, right?  How hard was it?  Not so hard, right?  Next week will be easier.  The following week even easier.  Each week that goes by exercise will become more a part of a daily routine and you will find yourself more refreshed, energetic, sleeping better, less stressed, and you might even miss it when you can’t fit a workout in one time.  Just try it for one week.  You can do anything for a week, right?

6. Change your clothes. Believe it or not, just wearing the clothes (specifically shoes) that you would work out in can make you motivated to actually exercise.  So when you get home from work put on your sneakers as soon as you get in the door.  Or, sleep in a pair of running shorts.  I’ll admit, I’ve done that one before, and it works!

These are only a few suggestions on how to time manage and get motivated.  There are many more so pick ones that work best for you.  There is time in the day for everything, we just might need to change our priorities a bit.  Good luck!

Issue #1: My crazy high heart rate

I don’t know where this came from, but during my training runs my average heart rates have been about 10 bmp higher than usual for corresponding runs. Not only is it around 10bpm higher, but it has been about 10 degrees cooler than the previous weeks, also. Yikes! I actually had a :45 min run at MP on Wed, that I could only manage a pace 30 seconds slower than MP! My HR and RPE were both ridiculously high. It was pretty devastating. Poor Gary got the brunt of my emotions after that workout.

Rationalization for Issue #1

I’m tired! I just finished 17 weeks (18 today) of really tough training, the last week being the toughest. My body is telling me that it is time to relax, take it easy, sleep more. I think this also might be a sign of being overtrained especially considering I raced a half marathon on the 13th. Because of my training plan, there was no real recovery scheduled after the race. Over the weekend I have been starting to feel more rested, but I am really going to start listening to my body and resting a lot this week and next. I think I will even go to bed in the next hour. I don’t think of this as a bad sign of my fitness because I PR’d at the half, and I have been running really well throughout this training program. I feel like I’m in the best shape of my running life. Just a little bit of fatigue. Nothing a 2 week taper can’t take care of.

Issue #2: My Hip

Owie! After 29 miles in 2 days last weekend my hip started to really bother me. I took Monday and Tuesday off of running, but returned Wednesday and Thursday to some pretty significant pain. Pain a few weeks out from a race is pretty scary. The pain is primarily in my TFL, and also at the insertion of my Piriformis. I can target both pretty well on the foam roller. I got a massage on Thursday from my good friend Jill, which helped a ton, and I plan to see her again this week. The pain is pretty severe, and movement is extremely stiff in the morning and after I run.

Rationalization for Issue #1

Here’s the bright side…I’m certain it is muscular. Why is that good? Muscle can be quick healing. It has good blood supply which helps in healing, and is quick to respond to treatment. The pain has also not moved into my IT band or down to my knee yet either. I also know that aches and pains are typical during a taper, and I think patience and proper treatment should do the trick. Obviously injury-free at the moment would be ideal, but I’m going to take this as another signal to relax. I’m normally really antsy during a taper, and think I can do more than I should, so maybe this is a way to force me to do some more couch sitting, and catch up on some good sleep.

I’ll post next week with an update on the taper progress.

On a side note, Gary and I just watched Run Fatboy Run and it was hilarious! Go watch it right now.