Carefree

You forget how to run after you are 8 years old is the theory out there. So carefree before this you just run, play, and have fun with your friends. Learning this I have been watching my daughter and analyzing the way she runs. I even took a video of her beating one of her friends to the lake shore the other night. Watching her videos in slow motion trying to look at how she runs to make my running better. Who ever thought my daughter would be helping me with my running?!

Looking at her the other night so muddy, having fun, so carefree, I went out on my own 4 mile run adventure. I tried to mimic the strides my daughter has and kept playing the image of what she looked like running in my head. Needless to say, I ran my fastest 4 miler ever!!! 8:30 min miles!! I was so pleased to see that improvement. I have been trying to focus on proper mechanics and think I revelled in the glory!!! I owe it to my daughter!

Swimming and Biking

Today was the first open water swimming day for the Total Immersion group we put together through the CNY tri group and the help of Coach Karen!! We had about a dozen and a half swimmers in Green Lakes water today learning tips, techniques, anything to make them more efficient and better at swimming. I too was in the water today getting tips from the experts!! It was great fun. We swam for a total of 2 hours!! I still have a lot of technique to work on but have come a long way since last year in my abilities to swim. I am less claustrophobic in my wetsuit, I am calmer when people want to swim on top of me, a better sighter(well getting there!!) and all the other cool stuff that comes with open water swimming.

Karen worked on having high elbows, being relaxed, having a patient leading hand and how to sight. We also got videotaped which I will share when it becomes available!!

Total Immersion Swimmers

After our 2 hour swim, we hopped on our Bikes and Did the Green Lakes Triathlon Bike Leg. I rode with a newbie triathlete trying to skill her on the wonders and joys of biking, shifting, etc, etc. I love biking. I love the feel of being so free seeing the horizons in a new perspective, seeing the chipmunks run out in front of you, seeing the squirrels and birds in the trees, all of nature. Kelley (the newbie) said to me, thanks for staying with me and riding. I said to her, I want you to enjoy riding your bike as much as I do!! It should be easy to ride a bike not hard!!! Over the course of 4 years and plenty of practice and a great cycler boyfriend, I absolutely love riding my bike, hills and all!! Today was a proven fact!! I made it up the "hill" without even panting!!!

Coach Karen!! We had so much fun with her!

Random Thoughts Again

1. Why when you are already late do you get behind the slowest people as well as all the red lights??

2. I wonder how I will get all this training in working 8:30-5pm.

3. I can cook if I try. I act like I dont so my boyfriend will cook for me!! Shhh...don't tell him!

4. I am in love with Edible Arrangements at the moment! Its the Freshest Fruit ever!

5. I love my new Zoot Shoes..they make me feel fast!!!

6. Is there a magic pill for a mommy belly?

7. I have finally fell in love with swimming. Even though Im still slow. Its so calming

8. I love my road bike better than my tri bike.

9. My daughter told me today I am her best friend. I wonder how long that will last?!!

10. I am loving my old wetsuit. I thought it was too tight but I think it fits me like a glove. Just took some time getting used to.

I am swimming a 1500 meter swim this weekend and cant wait!! Race report to follow!!!

Balancing Training and Family time

One of the Hardest things for me is balancing time I spend training with the time I spend with my Fiance and Daughter. I find myself getting up earlier and earlier every morning to get in a swim, weights, whatever I need to do. I am up at 5am to get an A.M training session in and then up until 10 P.M to get a scond training session in. My weekends are the same. Getting up at 5 AM to get in a 3 hour ride before my daughter has risen from her slumber. 

I am ending my 3rd week of Half Ironman Trianing and feel as though I have not given enough effort. I think I should be training more.

Friday morning I woke up to the sun peaking through my bedroom window at 5 in the morning. I always wake up at 5 no matter what. No alarms to wake me up, just my own body telling me I cannot sleep anymore. I headed out to Williams Beach for a swim with Some other CNY triathlon members that are training for local tris in the area. The biggest being Syracuse 70.3.

The skies were clear and the wind was calm giving the 8 of us a nice conditions to swim our hearts out.

                                                                Williams Beach

I swam a good 30 min while the others swam 40min. Felt good in the water but I was having difficulty sighting because my goggles kept fogging up. I really have to work on this!!! I am also a bit worried that my new Blue Seventy Reaction Wetsuit might not be the right size for me. I followed the sizing chart but it still feels too big. Im very disapointed as I love this suit.

After a great day at work, we loaded up the car and I had a chance to sit back and let my fiance swim and daughter play. I was anxious just sitting and watching, but I needed it.

Caitlin posing at Oneida Shores

Andy coming out of the water after his swim

Some days you just have to relax and remember there is more to life than training!!

Fly By Night Duathlon Race Report

                        (Watkins Glen Race track watching the race)

What a perfect day for a race! Couldn't ask for Better! The race took place at Watkins Glen Speedway on May 29, 2010. Racing at 6pm was a change from the 8am start we usually have for races. My brother in law was doing the race with me so we decided on meeting at the race track, watch some of the Porsches go by and then get ready to race the night away.

Registration went smoothly even though I had to go back to the car to get my ID and USAT card. I wasn't too happy that I didn't receive my arm warmers at the registration tent, but I could pick them up after the race as my size medium wasn't available yet.

Onto the race. We still had to pick up our chip timer so the race had to start later than expected. They were also still cleaning up the track for us to race on it.

Transition Area- Pit Area

                                                                    Waiting for our chip timer

After we got our chip timer, the track was cleaned and we were encouraged to do a warm-up lap on our bikes. My brother in law and I went out counter-clockwise on the track. (I am still getting used to riding a triathlon specific bike this year. I am really comfortable and used to my rode bike.) The Course was great until we reached the back side of the course which was pretty steep. I needed to get out of aero position to

get up the hill.                                                                                                                                          

We were fooling around after that, showing my muscles off, laughing, the usual. Then the gun went off and the race was on! I have to say I was proud of my race as this is the first race I did without any cramps in the legs at all!! I made sure I ate a well balanced meal the night before, a great balanced breakfast, a light lunch, and hydrated well the day before and the whole race day. An hour before the race I took a chocolate Ensure which I swear has been helping me ward off the cramps, 10 min before the race I took more water with my Hammer Anti-fatigue tabs,  then every 20 minutes During the race I drank my Power Bar Endurance Fruit Punch drink. I have never felt better in a race as I felt in this one. Even though I thought my bike could've been alot better, I felt good!! Here are the results:

Overall Time: 2:06:05

135/190 overall

18/44 Female

4th in Age Group

                             Second 1.8 mile Run                             

                                                                                                                          

                        Second 10.1 mile Bike Leg                                

Finishing as the Sun is Setting!!

Nutrition

I Have been Reading Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook for the last couple of days and have gained some insight into eating right and properly fueling.

I am currently on Chapter 13: Assessing your Body: FAT, FIT or FINE?? I thought great! Im going to find out if I am Fit. (Of course I think I am)One of the topics is Body fat and exercise, which is talking about myths and misconceptions. I loved reading that my cellulite, which I have been obsessing over on my thighs and butt this year, Is not from my yo-yo dieting over the years but from me (as a women) having thinner skin, a child (which makes fat deposits more on the hips to help feed our babies), and my Mother (a genetic predisposition).

Next Sub topic I read, BODY IMAGE. I have a visual disturbance when it comes to this. I find myself comparing my body to my other friends who are athletes as well as other women my age. Of course our bodies are genetically predetermined, (I can thank my parents for my body), I need to accept that I come from a family with large thighs and be realistic in my expectations. Rather than obsess over my flaw, I am going to let go of my dissatisfaction and accept myself for the caring, strong, sincere person I am. I am appreciating that my body has taken me this far and beauty comes from inside. (Not that I didn't know that already)

I loved reading that men Have distorted body images as well, feeling the pressure to be lean and muscular in todays world. BDD (Body Dysmorphic Disorder) is so common believing everyone around then is seeing their flaws and judging their appearance.

So in closing, I DECLARE from this day forward, I will live by the following tenets.

- I will accept my body in its natural size and shape

- I will celebrate all my body can do for me each day

- I will treat my body with respect, give it enough rest, fuel it with a variety of food, exercise it as my schedule says, and listen to what it needs.

-I will not use food to mask my emotions

- I will not avoid participating in activities I enjoy simply because I am self conscious about the way my body looks. I have the right to enjoy any activity regardless of the way my body looks

- I WILL believe that my self-esteem and Identity come from within!!!!

NANCY CLARK, you hit the nail on the head with this book!!!

Recovery week

My first Recovery week of Training for the Syracuse 70.3 is almost complete. I never thought it would be so hard to back off training. I had to push myself to stop when I was done and not do anymore than my plan called for this last week. Thats mental toughness!

I have been doing great these last couple weeks and now I finally get to do my first "true" race of the season!! I will be in Watkins Glen doing a formula 1 duathlon which consists of 1.8mi run, 10mi bike, 1.8mi run, 10mi bike and 1.8mi run.

Nervous and anxious but ready to take this challenge on!!