I woke up Sunday morning feeling well rested but really nervous.  We had decided that with the time trial start being first come first serve we would not worry about where in the line we ended up.  As we were walking to the end of the line we ran into Ron Shashy who I had swam with a few weeks prior at the YMCA open water swim at Cave Run Lake.  He promptly placed me in line in front of him in hopes of catching a ride on my draft for the swim, not that he needed it one bit. It didn’t seem like the others in line minded that we jumped in (at least I hope they didn’t).  The race started and I was surprised at how quickly we made our way down to the water and started.  I jumped in and lost Ron immediately.  So much for our master plan.  The swim course is 1/3 out against the current and 2/3 back in with the current.  I took it easy going out, and felt really good.  I checked my watch after the turn around and it read under 22 min which I was happy with since my effort low and it was supposed to be against the current.  As soon as I turned around I swam a little wide towards the middle of the river to try to catch the current some.  After a few minutes I started feeling really nauseous.  The more I swam the more nauseous I felt.  The more nauseous I felt the angrier I got.  I could not believe I was getting sick in the swim!  I had never DNF’d a race and it was going to happen after the swim, are you kidding me?!? Nine months of training and I’m not even going to get on my bike?!? I went through hot and cold spells, tried not to throw up in the water, and what seemed like forever, floated back in to the shore.  I made it up the stairs out of the water and walked to transition.  I saw Jeff and Neeley and told them I wasn’t feeling well.  Jeff said “you’ll be fine!” which is maybe what I needed to hear.  I decided to keep walking and see how I felt.  Surprisingly the more I walked the better I felt.  I got my transition bag, sat down and started to put my shoes and helmet on.  I was feeling so much better – I couldn’t believe it!  The river had been a little choppy and since the nausea disappeared almost immediately once I hit land I am assuming it was just motion sickness.  I’ve never had that happen before, but it sure felt good to be sitting on my bike.  I swam about 5-8 min slower than I thought I was going to, but at this point I was just glad the nausea was gone.

The crowd at transition was incredible and I was starting to feel a lot better about my race.  I turned my Garmin on before I got on my bike and I was happy to see my heart rate below 150.  Gary and I had decided a few days before on a HR cap of 150 for at least the first 87 miles.  I thought this was going to be a lot harder than it actually was.  The first part of the bike is the most challenging and the biggest hill is in the first 20 miles or so.  However, so is the longest descent.  I kept my cadence high up the hills, and tried to take full advantage of the down hills.  I knew the first part of the ride would be the slowest, and the mph read around 17 for a long time.  I had been hoping for 17.5 overall for the day.  I stayed with my plan of a 150 HR cap and convinced myself that feeling good was much more important than going fast.  Gary passed me on the out and back part of the course.  It was really nice to see be able to see him for a little bit.  After some exchanged words of encouragement, he was off.  The course was beautiful once we got out of town.  The gorgeous rolling landscape almost made me forget that I was racing.  I was really enjoying the ride.  Lagrange was so awesome.  The crowd was so uplifting and loud!  We went through the town twice and both times I felt like someone in the crowd handed me a new pair of legs.  Throughout the ride I saw my average increase to 17.5.  This made me happy, especially because I felt so great.  I got to mile 87 and since I was on pace and feeling great, I decided to continue at the same effort.  I had thought about pushing a little harder, but I kept thinking that the more I save now the more I will have for the run.  The last 25 miles or so of the course are pretty flat, and downhill.  All I wanted to do was keep my 17.5mph average and finish feeling good.  Then something happened that I did not anticipate.  I had feared a headwind for the last 25 miles like we had when we rode the course a few months earlier.  So even with the fast road, the wind made it so my effort had to increase to keep pace.  However, we had no headwind!  I kept my effort the same, and watched as the numbers crept up to 17.6, 17.7…all the way to 18.0.  I got off the bike in 6:13.  I couldn’t have been happier.

I took my time through transition, and figured out what I needed to do on the run to do a sub 12 hour Ironman.  All I needed to do was a 4:28 marathon!  I could do that!  I had planned on trying for a 9:30-9:45 min/mile pace, but since I had so much of a buffer from the bike I decided to go for 10 min/mile pace for the first half and really enjoy the race.  I came out of transition and saw my girls, Kirstin and Jill.  They were so motivating!  It was really hard to slow myself down to a 10 min mile for the first 4-5 miles. I kept falling into a 9:15-9:30 pace.  I felt so good, but I knew I needed to conserve.  The run course was a blast, especially around town.  Once you got farther out on the out and back it was pretty quiet and a little tough to stay motivated.  Coming back in to town on the first loop was great.  Seeing the girls gave me just the spark I needed.  The turn around on the first loop is right by the finish line which is kind of tough, but I was feeling so good I honestly didn’t care too much.  I worked on keeping my heart rate in the 140s and at a 9:45-10 min mile I was right around 139-141 the whole time.  I enjoyed seeing everyone on the run course.  I saw Royden first, then eventually saw almost everyone, Gary, Tyson, Rodney, Paula, Saori, Alan.  It was great, and everyone looked so good.  On my way back to town just after mile 20 I got to see Beth for a bit and she gave me some great motivation.  I was pretty sure I was going to make it, but I know that in a marathon, especially an Ironman, it’s not over until it’s over.  I kept on pace, allowing myself to walk a little extra at each aid station.  I felt really good that I never had to walk except at the aid stations.  It was probably the best I have ever felt during a marathon.  It actually went by pretty fast.  Once I got to mile 23 I started to hurt.  I was grateful the hurt/fatigue held off until then.  By that time I didn’t even care, I was almost done!  As I came back into town it was hard to hold my excitement in.  The crowd, the girls, 4^th Street…it was extraordinary.  The only thing I regret about my finish is how quickly it was over.  I sort of wish I had taken my time coming down the finish line.  I still can’t believe I broke 12 hours!  To top it all off, Mike Reilly, the ‘voice of Ironman’ was there, and as I came down the finish line I heard his voice, “Nikki Ditsch from Lexington, Kentucky…YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!” I just love hearing those words.

All week I had played around with the numbers and I figured that everything had to be perfect for me to go under 12 hours.  Going 11:55 feels that much sweeter especially considering it wasn’t the perfect day (swim).  I have to admit, I still can’t help but smile when I think about that race.  What an amazing day!

Results:

Time: 11:55:24, Overall Place: 716, Division Place: 25

Swim time: 1:09:44, Overall Place: 323, Division Place: 17
T1: 5:58
Bike time: 6:13:43, Overall Place: 1102, Division Place: 24
T2 3:44
Run time: 4:22:14, Overall Place: 803, Division Place: 30

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!